The St. John’s surge continues.
Rick Pitino’s red-hot Purple Storm moved as much as No. 6 on this week’s AP Ballot — their highest rating since Jan. 29, 1991.
St. John’s went 2-0 final week, together with a 71-61 victory over Seton Corridor on Saturday that clinched this system’s first outright Massive East regular-season championship since 1985.
The Johnnies improved to 26-4, together with 17-2 in convention play, of their second season below Pitino.
“We’re doing great things right now,” Pitino stated Saturday. “We’re not going to embrace it, certainly, but we are going to enjoy it.”
St. John’s moved up one spot from No. 7, switching locations with Alabama, which misplaced Saturday to Tennessee.
Auburn remained No. 1, Duke stayed at No. 2, and Houston, Tennessee and Florida rounded out the highest 5.
That is the fourth ballot in a row wherein St. John’s earned a top-10 rating. Earlier than final month, St. John’s had gone 25 years with out being ranked within the prime 10.
It’s the seventh week in a row that St. John’s earned a nationwide rating.
“This is an answer to a prayer,” St. John’s president Rev. Brian J. Shanley stated Saturday. “This is what I hoped when we hired Rick, that we would get back to where we are right now, contending for a national championship. This is just the beginning.”
St. John’s is ready to wrap up the common season this Saturday at No. 20 Marquette.
Pitino’s staff will then be the No. 1 seed within the Massive East Match, which is ready to happen March 12-15 at Madison Sq. Backyard.
