The St. John’s Red Storm basketball team suffered a humbling setback Saturday afternoon at Madison Square Garden, falling 103–96 to the Alabama Crimson Tide in what marked the first time a Rick Pitino–coached Red Storm squad has surrendered 100 points or more. The loss snapped a 12-game home winning streak at MSG and exposed defensive flaws that could redefine early expectations for one of college basketball’s most hyped programs. The defeat also punctuated how quickly momentum can shift for a top-five team, turning what began as a showcase opportunity into an unexpected early test of St. John’s resilience.
The Red Storm entered the matchup ranked No. 5 nationally — their highest ranking since 1991 — and were expected to showcase Pitino’s trademark defensive precision. Instead, Alabama’s tempo and relentless perimeter attack overwhelmed St. John’s, who struggled to match the pace and intensity for 40 minutes.
CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein took to his X (formerly known as Twitter) account to highlight the historical significance of the loss, noting that Alabama’s offensive explosion marked an unprecedented moment in the Pitino era for St. John’s.
“Alabama's 103 points today against St. John's is the first time that the Red Storm have given up 100 points or more in a game under Rick Pitino.”
The Crimson Tide, led by Labaron Philon’s 25 points and Aden Holloway’s 21, turned the contest into a showcase of offensive execution. St. John’s kept it close behind Zuby Ejiofor’s 27 points and Bryce Hopkins’ 19, but late defensive lapses and missed free throws doomed any comeback hopes.
For Pitino, the defeat stands as a rare defensive breakdown — a statistic that hadn’t surfaced in his first two seasons leading the program. The Red Storm shot a solid 49.2% from the field yet allowed Alabama to score 103 points on 48% shooting while forcing just seven turnovers.
The result was more than a blemish — it was an early reality check. As St. John’s prepares for a lighter stretch before Big East play, Pitino will need to recalibrate his defensive schemes and rediscover the discipline that defined his early success. In a season with national title aspirations, this loss served as a sharp reminder that the Red Storm must tighten up before March arrives.
