NEW YORK, NY — The moment felt special before the ball even tipped. The crowd at Madison Square Garden stood to honor Walter Berry, a St. John's legend, and RJ Luis Jr., the newly crowned Big East Player of the Year—the first Red Storm player to win the award since Berry in 1985. But once the game started, it became clear that the current Red Storm had no interest in nostalgia—they were here to dominate.

From the opening minutes, St. John’s played with an energy level Butler simply could not match. The Red Storm pounced early, forcing Butler into difficult shots, crashing the boards, and scoring in transition before the Bulldogs could even set their defense. By the time Butler could blink, St. John's had built an 18-3 lead with 12:29 remaining in the first half, and from that point on, they never let Butler get within striking distance.

Butler’s Energy Fizzles as St. John’s Runs Wild

The contrast between the two teams was undeniable. St. John’s moved with purpose, their defensive rotations crisp, their rebounding aggressive, and their offensive sets fluid. Butler, on the other hand, looked stuck in quicksand. They struggled to generate open shots, committed 15 turnovers, and were completely overmatched on the glass, getting outrebounded 44-34.

Jahmyl Telfort, one of Butler’s top offensive weapons, admitted postgame that the difference in effort was glaring. “We knew they were going to attack the glass, and we let them do it. We didn’t match their physicality. We didn’t match their intensity,” he said.

For St. John’s, this wasn't just about winning—it was about sending a message. Kadary Richmond played like a conductor orchestrating a symphony, controlling the tempo, setting up teammates, and stuffing the stat sheet with 15 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds. Luis Jr. showcased why he’s the Big East’s top player, leading all scorers with 20 points while grabbing seven rebounds.

Zuby Ejiofor’s presence in the paint was undeniable. He grabbed seven boards, altered shots, and helped anchor a defense that held Butler to just 18 points in the paint. St. John’s defense was relentless, forcing Butler into tough shots all night, holding them to just 34.5% shooting from the field.

And yet, Rick Pitino was not fully satisfied.

The Elusive Five-Star Performance

Despite the 21-point victory, Coach Pitino rated the performance as a four-star effort—not the five-star dominance he envisions for his team. His expectations are sky-high, and he made it clear postgame that while this win was good, it wasn’t good enough.

“This was not a five-star performance, but it was a solid four-star performance,” Pitino said. “The energy was good. We had home court on our home court, but this was not a home game. I think there were a lot of Marquette people here, to be here for their game”.

So, what separates a four-star St. John's effort from a five-star one?

According to Pitino, it starts with attention to detail. He pointed to defensive lapses, missed opportunities in transition, and moments when his team let Butler off the hook instead of completely burying them.

“We were good, but good isn’t enough. We didn’t sustain our level of play for 40 minutes. We got sloppy in stretches, and that’s not going to cut it as we go deeper into this tournament,” Pitino explained.

The coach also hinted at a higher level of offensive execution he expects his team to reach. While St. John’s shot a solid 47.2% from the field, they only hit seven three-pointers on 20 attempts. Pitino knows that against better competition, they’ll need to be sharper, especially late in games when opponents will adjust defensively.

What’s Next for the Red Storm?

The good news? St. John’s is rolling, and the team’s ceiling remains incredibly high. With this win, the Red Storm advance to the Big East semifinals for the second consecutive year under Pitino. Next up is either Xavier or Marquette, both teams St. John’s had to battle hard against in the regular season.

If St. John’s wants that elusive five-star performance, Pitino’s players know they’ll have to take everything up a notch. Better defensive focus, more precision on offense, and playing with the kind of relentless execution that makes a great team unstoppable.

For now, St. John’s fans can celebrate a statement win on their home-away-from-home floor. But the job isn’t finished. Pitino sees a championship-level team within this group—one that can deliver a performance worthy of five stars.

The question is: Will they rise to meet it?