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Mike Reiss
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Mike Reiss
ESPN Personnel Author
- Mike Reiss is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the New England Patriots. Reiss has lined the Patriots since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2009. In 2019, he was once named Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Yr through the Nationwide Sports activities Media Affiliation.
Mar 22, 2025, 08:14 PM ET
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — No. 2 seed St. John’s was once knocked out of the NCAA event through Tenth-seeded Arkansas on Saturday, with the Pink Typhoon’s No. 1 participant at the bench in crunch time.
When Giant East Participant of the Yr RJ Luis Jr. hit two unfastened throws with 4:56 final to tug St. John’s inside two issues, trainer Rick Pitino subbed him out of the sport. Luis, who totaled 9 issues on 3-for-17 taking pictures, by no means returned.
Pitino was once pressed through newshounds at the choice, as Arkansas outscored his staff 11-4 the remainder of document a 75-66 victory in entrance of a frenzied sellout crowd of eleven,487 on the Amica Mutual Pavilion.
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To begin with, Pitino referenced Luis having performed half-hour, noting, “That is a very long time.” But if requested if he stored Luis at the bench as a result of he was once drained, Pitino stated: “No. He performed half-hour. I performed people. You might be asking main questions, so do not question me any questions. You realize why he did not play.”
There was once pressure within the Invoice Reynolds Media Paintings Room. At one level, it was once discussed to Pitino that Luis had instructed a reporter that as a participant, he did not consider he were a favorable chief all over the sport. When requested his ideas on what Luis stated, Pitino did not cope with it immediately, as an alternative referencing 3 different St. John’s avid gamers for whom he had appreciation.
Then when requested if there was once one play that led him to holding Luis at the bench, Pitino shot again through referencing his taking pictures percentages.
“You understand he was once 3-for-17. You understand he was once 0-for-3 [from 3]. So, you might be answering our personal [question],” he stated. “I am not going to knock one in every of my avid gamers.”
Luis entered Saturday averaging 18.5 issues in step with recreation, and his season low was once an eight-point trip in opposition to Creighton on Dec. 31 when he was once 4-of-15 from the sphere.
St. John’s main scorer RJ Luis completed with simply 9 issues on 3-for-17 taking pictures in Saturday’s 75-66 loss to Arkansas within the NCAA event’s spherical of 32. Gregory Fisher-Imagn Photographs
His struggles in opposition to Arkansas contributed to the Pink Typhoon taking pictures 28% from the sphere. They had been 2-for-22 from 3.
“It appears like we did not do anything else, in reality. It sucks to lose the way in which we misplaced,” Luis stated. “I let my teammates down.”
Pitino presented his tackle St. John’s problems.
“Offensively, we didn’t proportion the basketball sufficient, and that was once our death,” stated Pitino, whose staff completed 31-5 after profitable the Giant East regular-season and event titles. “We didn’t transfer the basketball sufficient, and that ended in us taking pictures an overly low proportion. We need to get a top collection of assists to win, and we did not this night.”
There wasn’t a magic scheme or adjustment that felled the Pink Typhoon. That they had no longer observed a staff as lengthy and athletic as Arkansas all season, and that contributed to their really extensive struggles on offense.
Villanova had disillusioned St. John’s in February through exposing the Pink Typhoon off the dribble. Different warring parties adopted that blueprint, however none had the similar number of ability as Arkansas to constantly beat them off the dribble.
Because the 3-point photographs persevered to carom out for the Pink Typhoon, and as Arkansas penetrated the lane at will, St. John’s answered poorly. The Pink Typhoon’s demeanor was once mirrored through their frame language, as issues were given so unhealthy for Luis at one level that teammate Zuby Ejiofor (23 issues, 12 rebounds) grabbed him through the shoulders for a pep communicate.
This was once no longer misplaced at the Arkansas avid gamers.
“Ohhhhhh, maximum indisputably,” exclaimed Arkansas freshman guard Boogie Fland, when requested if he may sense accrued frustration. “That you must see it on their face. Frame language … says greater than phrases. They if truth be told confirmed that. We had been dressed in them down, dressed in them down.”
