This became one of the raw scores across the bottom of the TV screen all day, with no shots of raising eyebrows on saloons, living rooms, iPads or Android phones.
It certainly was dim and Darry and not playing with that food, as it wasn't the way St. John's approached this season in the first 31 games of this amazing journey. It was 3-3. Then it was 18-3. It took 7 minutes and 13 seconds.
Red Auerbach would have lighted the cigars by then. Butler won the mini version of this Big East Tournament Wednesday afternoon. The Bulldogs eliminated Providence and earned the right to become Johnny's sparring partner on Thursday. The Bulldog made some shots. They did some runs. They never approached because Johnny didn't let them do. 78-57 has finished.
“The teams playing the game can be a little down,” St. John coach Rick Pitino said when it was finished. “It obviously hurts them in the third game, but we played enough to win. We did a lot of good things tonight. We did a lot of things that we needed to get better, but overall, it's a four-star performance and we'll take it.”
