St. John’s was treated unfairly by the NCAA Tournament committee.

Adam Shine Critiques St. John’s Placement in 2026 March Madness

Adam Shine recently voiced his concerns about the NCAA Tournament selection committee’s decision to give St. John’s a No. 5 seed in 2026. In his latest episode of “Schein Time,” he expressed his frustration, calling the decision “embarrassing” and “unacceptable.” He suggested that such an oversight should simply never occur.

Despite St. John’s recent victory over UConn in the Big East Championship, where they won 72-52, the team still didn’t receive a favorable seed. Shine remarked that this match was significant, especially since it marked their second win against the Huskies this season. However, he felt that the win didn’t translate into a better seeding position.

“St. John’s had a tough time getting a No. 4 seed,” he pointed out. “They not only claimed the Big East tournament title; they also defeated a strong UConn team. This wasn’t just luck; it’s frustrating.” He added that had UConn won, they would have secured a top seed, questioning how St. John’s was not rewarded for such a crucial victory.

Instead of a home-game advantage, the Johnnies must travel to San Diego to take on No. 12 seed Northern Iowa in the first round. If they pull off a win, they face a challenging journey ahead, likely needing to defeat tough contenders like No. 4 seed Kansas and No. 1 seed Duke.

Shine expressed disbelief at St. John’s seeding, especially considering their six-game winning streak and a conference title. “To put them in the West as a No. 5 seed and potentially face Kansas, it’s just unacceptable,” he said. “It feels like an oversight—this situation is really disheartening.”

The Johnnies enter NCAA play with a solid overall record of 28-6 and a strong conference record of 18-2, save for a couple of notable losses. Since those setbacks, they’ve remained undefeated. Still, the reality of a low seed feels like a stark contradiction to their performance on the court, leaving fans and commentators scratching their heads as they ponder their path through the tournament.