St. John's Builds on Last Year's Magic

The Red Storm create a legacy that tops their 2025 success, with more to come.

Published on Mar. 7, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Last season was a breakthrough year for the St. John's basketball team, as they won the Big East regular-season title, the Big East Tournament, and earned their first NCAA Tournament victory in 25 years. Despite losing most of their starting lineup, the Red Storm have built on that momentum and created an even more impressive legacy this season, exceeding preseason expectations with a No. 5 national ranking.

Why it matters

St. John's success over the past two seasons has revived interest and excitement around the program, which had struggled for years to recapture the glory of its 1980s heyday. The team's accomplishments have put the school back on the national map and shown that the Big East remains one of the premier basketball conferences in the country.

The details

Even with the departure of several key players from last year's team, St. John's has managed to build on its breakthrough 2025 season. Led by returning starter Zuby Ejiofor, the Red Storm have continued to win at a high level, capturing another Big East regular-season title and making a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. Their success has exceeded preseason expectations, as the team was ranked No. 5 nationally to start the year.

  • Last season, St. John's won the Big East regular-season title, the Big East Tournament, and earned their first NCAA Tournament victory in 25 years.
  • This season, St. John's has continued its success, capturing another Big East regular-season title and making a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

The players

Zuby Ejiofor

The lone returning starter from last year's St. John's team, Ejiofor has helped lead the Red Storm to continued success this season.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“There was pressure to build on last season, extra pressure for St. John's created by the No. 5 preseason ranking.”

— Zach Braziller, Author (nypost.com)

The takeaway

St. John's has proven that its success last season was no fluke, as the team has built an even more impressive legacy this year. The Red Storm's continued dominance in the Big East and deep NCAA Tournament run have cemented their status as one of the top programs in the country, and have rekindled excitement around the school's basketball program.