PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Rick Pitino returned to Providence and picked up a March Madness victory with yet another school, coaching St. John’s past Omaha 83-53 on Thursday night and into a second-round matchup with longtime nemesis John Calipari.
RJ Luis Jr. had 22 points and eight rebounds for the second-seeded Red Storm, who recovered from a cold-shooting start to pull away early in the second half. That earned them a matchup against No. 10 seed Arkansas on Saturday, with the winner earning a trip to the Sweet 16.
But more delectable for basketball fans will be the pairing of Pitino and Calipari, two strong-willed Hall of Famers – and NCAA infraction magnets – who developed an unfriendly rivalry in the 2010s when Calipari was at Kentucky and Pitino was an hour away in Louisville.
That it will take place in Providence will give Pitino the home-court advantage: He has been beloved in the Rhode Island capital since leading the Friars to the 1987 Final Four in one of the most surprising rolls in March Madness history. Even though he went on to make six other trips to the Final Four, winning it all in 1996 at Kentucky, he said this week the Providence run was “magical.”
St. John's missed its first five shots and spotted the Mavericks a 7-0 lead. But the Red Storm (31-4) took a five-point lead into the half and then scored 12 of the first 14 points in the second to open a 45-30 lead.
St. John's led 50-36 before Luis hit back-to-back 3-pointers, and then Kadary Richmond made a pair of baskets to complete a 10-0 run.
JJ White scored 15 points and Isaac Ondekane grabbed 11 rebounds for the 15th-seeded Mavericks (22-13).
With a St. John’s victory over Arkansas, Pitino would earn his 14th trip to the Sweet 16; a Razorbacks win would give Calipari his 16th.
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