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No. 17 St. John's rides Darling and Mitchell to longest winning streak in 41 years
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No. 17 St. John's rides Darling and Mitchell to longest winning streak in 41 years

#St. John's #winning streak #basketball #Big East #Rick Pitino #Dylan Darling #Dillon Mitchell #Madison Square Garden

📌 Key Takeaways

  • St. John's achieved their longest winning streak in 41 years with 13 consecutive victories
  • The Red Storm dominated Creighton 81-52 with stifling defense and balanced scoring
  • Dylan Darling and Dillon Mitchell have been key factors in the team's turnaround
  • St. John's is now 22-5 overall and 15-1 in Big East play, seeking a second consecutive conference championship

📖 Full Retelling

The 17th-ranked St. John's Red Storm extended their winning streak to 13 games with a dominant 81-52 victory over Creighton at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, February 21, 2026, marking the program's longest winning streak in 41 years since the 1984-85 season. After a challenging 4-3 start to the season, the Johnnies (22-5, 15-1 Big East) have now won 18 of their last 20 games, showcasing remarkable improvement under coach Rick Pitino. Bryce Hopkins led the charge with a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Dylan Darling emerged as a key contributor with 17 points off the bench, and Zuby Ejiofor added 15 points as St. John's held Creighton to just 32% shooting throughout the contest. The defensive prowess displayed by St. John's was particularly noteworthy, with coach Pitino calling it "the best defense we played all season." The Red Storm limited Creighton to a season-low 0.7 points per possession, forcing 18 turnovers and outrebounding the Bluejays 44-30. The team jumped out to an 8-0 lead, extended it to 12 points just 4:18 into the game, and took a comfortable 42-27 advantage into halftime before opening up a 25-4 run in the second half to put the game away. This victory represented St. John's largest margin of victory in a Big East game since 2022 and their biggest win over a conference opponent at Madison Square Garden since 1992. The emergence of Dylan Darling and Dillon Mitchell has been instrumental in St. John's turnaround. With starting guard Ian Jackson sidelined by an ankle injury, Darling played 28.5 minutes, contributing four rebounds, three assists, and three steals after a poor performance earlier in the week. Mitchell, described by Pitino as "a summa cum laude basketball player," finished with 10 rebounds, seven assists, zero turnovers, and six points. The Johnnies now hold a half-game lead in the Big East standings over UConn and will face the Huskies on Wednesday in a matchup that could give St. John's a 14-game conference winning streak, matching their program record from 1984-85.

🏷️ Themes

College Basketball, Winning Streak, Team Performance

📚 Related People & Topics

Big East Conference

Big East Conference

U.S. college athletic conference that began in 2013

The Big East Conference (stylized as BIG EAST) is a collegiate athletic conference that competes in NCAA Division I in 10 men's sports and 12 women's sports. Headquartered in New York City, the 11 full-member schools are primarily located in Northeast and Midwest metropolitan areas. The conference w...

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Madison Square Garden

Madison Square Garden

Multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City, U.S.

Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as the Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd streets above Pennsylvania Station. It is the fourth venue to bear the name "Madis...

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Dillon Mitchell

Topics referred to by the same term

Dillon Mitchell may refer to:

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Dylan Darling

American basketball player

Dylan James Darling is an America college basketball player for the St. John's Red Storm. He previously played for the Idaho State Bengals and the Washington State Cougars.

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Rick Pitino

Rick Pitino

American basketball coach (born 1952)

Richard Andrew Pitino (; born September 18, 1952) is an American basketball coach who is the head men's basketball coach at St. John's University. He was also the head coach of Greece's senior national team.

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Entity Intersection Graph

Connections for Big East Conference:

🌐 Basketball 4 shared
👤 College basketball 4 shared
👤 Seton Hall University 3 shared
🌐 Winning streak 3 shared
🌐 Benson 2 shared
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Deep Analysis

Why It Matters

St. John’s 13‑game winning streak is the longest in the program’s history in 41 years, positioning the team at the top of the Big East and boosting its national ranking. It signals a resurgence under coach Rick Pitino and raises expectations for a conference title and a deep NCAA tournament run.

Context & Background

  • 13 consecutive wins, longest streak in 41 years
  • Key contributions from Dylan Darling and Dillon Mitchell
  • Coach Rick Pitino praised defense and player development

What Happens Next

The Red Storm will face UConn next, a game that could extend the streak to 14 and secure a Big East championship. A victory would also improve their seeding prospects for the NCAA tournament, while the team will continue to rely on its defensive strength and bench depth.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many games has St. John’s won consecutively?

Thirteen games, the longest streak in 41 years.

Who are the standout players driving the streak?

Dylan Darling and Dillon Mitchell have been key contributors alongside Bryce Hopkins.

What is the significance of this streak for the program?

It places St. John’s at the top of the Big East, improves national rankings, and raises hopes for a conference title and NCAA tournament success.

Who is the head coach leading the team?

Rick Pitino is the head coach guiding the Red Storm.

Original Source
No. 17 St. John's rides Darling and Mitchell to longest winning streak in 41 years After a 4-3 start this season, St. John’s is enjoying its most dominant roll in decades By MIKE FITZPATRICK AP sports writer February 21, 2026, 5:06 PM NEW YORK -- After a 4-3 start this season, St. John's is enjoying its most dominant roll in decades. Bryce Hopkins had 15 points and 10 rebounds as the 17th-ranked Red Storm breezed past Creighton 81-52 on Saturday for their 13th straight victory — marking the program's longest winning streak in 41 years. Dylan Darling scored 17 points off the bench and Zuby Ejiofor added 15 for the first-place Johnnies (22-5, 15-1 Big East), who led wire to wire and held Creighton to 32% shooting in their 18th win in 20 games. “This was the best defense we played all season,” coach Rick Pitino said. “The guys were totally locked in because of their respect for Creighton and their ability to score.” It was the largest blowout by St. John's in a Big East game since a 91-57 win over Butler at Carnesecca Arena on campus in February 2022 — and the school's biggest margin of victory against a conference opponent at Madison Square Garden since a 90-57 thrashing of No. 6 UConn on Feb. 1, 1992. St. John’s hadn’t won 13 in a row since a 19-game run in 1984-85 on the way to a No. 1 national ranking, a top seed in the NCAA Tournament and a Final Four berth under Hall of Fame coach Lou Carnesecca. “Our staff is doing a phenomenal job of getting the guys ,” Pitino said. "It’s one thing to be a great scout and break it down, but it’s getting the players to listen to every little detail, and they’re listening to every little detail. I’m proud of them for that.” Ejiofor and Hopkins have been at the forefront for the Johnnies all season, but the emergence of Darling and Dillon Mitchell is a huge reason for the turnaround. With starting guard Ian Jackson sidelined by a sprained right ankle, Darling played 28 1/2 minutes and provided four rebounds, three assists and thre...
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Source

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