The Red Storm have arrived. This St. John’s team isn’t searching for an identity anymore—they’ve built it with grit, resilience, and relentless effort. On a night that solidified their place atop the Big East, the Red Storm outlasted Butler, 76-70, in a battle that mirrored their season-long climb toward dominance.

It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t smooth. But it was St. John’s basketball.

They came out roaring, fueled by the energy of their season’s journey. RJ Luis Jr. opened the game like a man on a mission, splashing a three and drilling a midrange jumper. The Red Storm were off and running, forcing a Butler timeout just five minutes in. They led 17-7, looking poised to dominate.

But nothing comes easy in the Big East. Butler punched back, fighting for every loose ball, every rebound. St. John’s found themselves in a slugfest, unable to shake the Bulldogs. The first half was a rollercoaster—quick bursts of brilliance, then moments of frustration. Their shots cooled. Their rebounds weren’t as clean. And Butler, with nothing to lose, smelled an upset brewing.

By halftime, the lead was a slim 38-32. The pressure cooker was whistling.

Then came the second half, where champions are made. Butler came out throwing haymakers, cutting the lead to one. Every possession felt like a war. The game teetered on the edge, a seesaw of emotion with each bucket, each turnover. St. John’s kept getting punched, but they never buckled. They absorbed the blows, braced themselves, and answered.

With just under six minutes to go, Zuby Ejiofor stepped forward. Six of his 12 points came in that final stretch, each one a dagger to Butler’s hopes. Luis Jr., unshaken by the relentless pressure, buried two crucial free throws to stretch the lead to four. Deivon Smith, the quiet assassin, sealed it at the line. St. John’s outscored Butler 16-7 in the last five minutes, proving once again they know how to win when it matters most.

Rick Pitino saw the bigger picture. “Good teams win when they don’t play their best,” he said. And this team, even on an off night, found a way. They had been tested before—against Harvard, against New Mexico, against DePaul—and each time, they had taken one more step toward being the best team in the Big East.

And now, they sit at the top.

The Red Storm have clinched at least a share of the Big East regular-season title for the first time since 1992. One more win, and the crown is theirs outright. But they aren’t interested in sharing. “We haven’t accomplished anything yet,” Luis Jr. said. “We don’t want to share.”

The pressure is mounting, the stakes rising. But St. John’s isn’t backing down. They’re leaning in, fueling the fire, feeding the storm. The tide is rising. The pressure cooker is whistling. And when the steam clears, the Red Storm will be standing tall.