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St. John's clinching scenarios: How Red Storm can secure a Big East title on Wednesday night

The Johnnies are on the verge of making some history.
ByChris Landers|
Feb 23, 2025; New York, New York, USA; St. John's Red Storm guard Aaron Scott (0) reacts after making a three point shot in the first half against the Connecticut Huskies at Madison Square Garden.
Feb 23, 2025; New York, New York, USA; St. John's Red Storm guard Aaron Scott (0) reacts after making a three point shot in the first half against the Connecticut Huskies at Madison Square Garden. | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

This has already been a historic season for St. John's. Rick Pitino's team has lost just one game since the start of the new year, climbing all the way up to No. 7 in the latest AP Top 25 poll following a big win over UConn at Madison Square Garden over the weekend. That's the program's highest ranking since 1991-92, and they've put themselves in position to capture their first top-four seed in the NCAA Tournament since 2000

But the Red Storm won't have to wait til March to start chasing history — and hardware. That win over the Huskies on Saturday completed the season sweep of the two-time defending national champions and put St. John's firmly in the driver's seat in the Big East standings. It's not over just yet, but the regular-season conference title is very much the Johnnies' to lose. And if things break right on Wednesday, they could clinch their first outright Big East championship in four decades.

St. John's clinching scenarios: Red Storm can snag at least a share of the Big East title

St. John's currently sits at 24-4 overall and 15-2 in conference, their only losses coming at Creighton on New Year's Eve and at Villanova back on Feb. 12. With just three games left in the regular season, the worst that the Red Storm can finish is 15-5. That leaves only two teams who can still catch them in the standings: Creighton at 12-4, and Marquette at 12-5.

But the Johnnies can eliminate both in one fell swoop on Wednesday night, provided they get a little bit of help. Win on the road against a 13-14 Butler squad, and St. John's will move to 16-2 and guarantee themselves at least a share of the regular-season title; at that point, only Creighton would be able to catch them, and even that would require the Blue Jays winning out and the Red Storm losing each of their final two games.

And should the Jays suffer a shocking home upset to Depaul on Wednesday night, that would clinch the conference outright for St. John's for the first time since Chris Mullin and Mark Jackson were leading the program to the Final Four in 1984-85. Admittedly, Creighton isn't likely to lose to a Blue Demons team that's lost five in a row and eight of nine. But no matter what happens in that game, the Johnnies control their own destiny: Win two of their final three, and the crown is theirs once again.

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