QUEENS, N.Y. – Riding a 10-game winning streak, the St. John’s men’s basketball team (21-3, 12-1 BIG EAST) continued its climb in the national rankings checking at No. 9 in the Associated Press (AP) poll and No. 8 in the USA Today Coaches’ poll on Monday.

In the AP Poll, the Johnnies moved into the top-10, rising three spots from last week. The No. 9 ranking marks the program’s highest since the final rankings of the 1999-2000 season.

After cracking the top-10 in the USA Today Coaches’ poll last week for the first time since 1999, the Red Storm propelled up two spots to No. 8, its highest placement in that poll since the March 31, 1999, when St. John’s concluded the season at No. 5.

Under second year Head Coach Rick Pitino, the Johnnies already exceeded last year’s win total and are one of two teams in NCAA Division I to record 21 wins this season. The Red Storm sit atop the BIG EAST standings with 12-1 mark in league play and rides a 10-game conference winning streak for the first time since the 1984-85 season.

No. 9/8 St. John’s will be back in action on Wednesday at Villanova at 6 p.m. before hosting No. 24/21 Creighton at Madison Square Garden at 3 p.m.