St. John’s Claims Second Straight Big East Title

Dylan Darling, affectionately known as “Church Bell,” showcased impressive resilience on the court. Despite having a tough shooting day, the St. John’s point guard managed to keep his spirits high and his confidence intact.

At just the right moment, he ignited his team’s momentum by scoring the first six points in a pivotal 13-0 run. Following the top-seeded Johnnies’ 72-52 victory over second-seeded Connecticut at a crowded Madison Square Garden, Coach Rick Pitino praised Darling’s tenacity. “On the downhill, they just went in,” Pitino noted, reflecting on Darling’s performance.

Darling, who faced struggles early on—going 1-for-8 from the field—didn’t give up. He made a successful drive to the basket, converted two free throws, and then hit a pull-up jumper, expanding St. John’s lead to 16 points with just over five minutes left on the clock. UW simply had no answers for him.

“You can’t ask for anything more,” Darling expressed, finishing the game with eight points and five assists. “Madison Square Garden, Saturday night, the Big East Championship—it’s the peak of the experience.”

Looking ahead, fans can look forward to a special one-hour show in early April that will delve into this year’s Big East Tournament. Produced by Workshop Content Studio, the series titled “March at the Garden” aims to provide behind-the-scenes insights, as shared by executive producer Tom Farrell.

Farrell mentioned that this production follows the previous documentary series, “Pitino: Red Storm Rising,” which captured the journey of Pitino and the team last season. This new series will air on Fox Sports 1 on April 1, with a rebroadcast later that night.

“It’s an all-access pass to what happens behind the scenes during the Big East Tournament,” Farrell said. He emphasized how the Garden itself almost becomes a character in the story, with intimate glimpses into locker rooms and awards shows.

Coach Pitino also made history by becoming the fifth coach to win the Big East tournament five times, joining an elite group that includes legendary figures like Jim Calhoun and John Thompson Jr.

Furthermore, the Johnnies have shown a remarkable streak, winning six consecutive games in the Big East Tournament by double digits, and they didn’t trail at all throughout the competition.