by Brian Tessmer, MavRadio sports.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Riding a wave of momentum into March Madness, St. John’s clinched the program’s first Big East regular-season title and followed it up with a Big East Tournament championship. The Red Storm earned a No. 2 seed in the West Region and looked poised for a deep run.
Their first-round opponent? The Summit League regular-season and tournament champions, the Omaha Mavericks, who had a historic journey of their own.
Omaha’s season started on shaky ground with a 4-9 record before conference play. Assistant coach Kyann Brown, looking to motivate his squad, kicked a trash can in frustration—an action that unexpectedly sparked a turnaround. After Omaha’s victory over Cal Poly, Brown’s team insisted he “beat up the trash can” as promised if they won. The moment, which was later shared on social media, quickly gained traction. Two AEW wrestlers, a masked coach, and Durango—the team’s mascot—joined the growing tradition. The Mavericks finished 22-12, securing their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
Slow Start, Big Finish for St. John’s
Tipoff for the West Region’s final game of the day came just after 9 p.m. Omaha jumped out to a 7-0 lead, fueled by three early three-pointers from JJ White, forcing St. John’s head coach Rick Pitino to call a timeout.
Both teams traded baskets throughout the first half, but Omaha struggled from deep, shooting just 3-of-19 from three-point range (15.8%). Strong defense kept the Mavericks within reach, and with 20 seconds left in the half, they had possession down two points. However, a costly turnover led to a St. John’s and-one opportunity, extending their lead to 33-28 at halftime.
The second half belonged to the Johnnies. St. John’s RJ Lewis hit an early three, and Zuby Ejiofor grabbed back-to-back offensive rebounds, leading to second-chance points and shifting momentum inside Amica Mutual Pavilion.
St. John’s dominated defensively, holding Omaha to just 20% shooting from the field and 11% from three-point range (2-of-17) in the second half. The Red Storm outscored Omaha 50-25 after the break, cruising to an 83-53 victory.
Key Performers & Stats
Lewis led St. John’s with 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting, while JJ White finished with 15 for Omaha. Despite Omaha holding its own on the boards, St. John’s outrebounded them 47-45. The Mavericks scored 18 second-chance points but allowed 28 in the second half alone, sealing their fate.
With the win, St. John’s advances to the Round of 32, while Omaha’s historic season comes to an end.
