It was a rare father-versus-son showdown on the college basketball stage as Rick Pitino faced his son Richard Pitino. Both St. John’s and New Mexico entered undefeated at 3-0, setting the tone for a compelling non-conference matchup.
St. John’s dominated its early schedule, winning games by an average of 23.0 points. Meanwhile, New Mexico brought one of the fastest tempos in the country, raising the question of whether the Johnnies could keep pace.
Both teams struggled to find rhythm deep in the first half. St. John’s and New Mexico each shot 2-of-8 from three-point range while battling through heavy defensive pressure.
Turnovers also plagued both sides, but St. John’s capitalized more efficiently. The Johnnies converted seven unforced Aggies turnovers into eight made field goals before halftime. Deivon Smith ignited a decisive 20-6 run with 12 first-half points. At the same time, St. John’s controlled the glass, outrebounding New Mexico 24-12 in the opening half.
The game remained rugged and physical throughout the night. Aggressive ball pressure and paint defense defined the flow on both ends of the floor. New Mexico made its push early in the second half. The Aggies cut the deficit to single digits by shooting 6-of-10 from three and forcing St. John’s into unforced errors.
Despite the surge, St. John’s maintained composure and responded with timely execution.
With Smith limited to three second-half points, RJ Luis Jr. stepped into the spotlight. He flirted with a triple-double while impacting the game on both ends. Luis finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists, adding a block in a complete performance. His versatility stabilized the Johnnies during New Mexico’s comeback attempt.
Kadary Richmond also bounced back after two quiet outings. He finished with 14 points, eight rebounds, and five assists on 50 percent shooting.
Richmond’s four steals fueled transition opportunities. One key sequence led to an assist to Aaron Scott, pushing the lead back to double digits during an Aggies run.
New Mexico struggled to defend the interior. St. John’s outscored the Aggies 48-38 in the paint while dominating the boards 49-32 overall. Free throws also proved costly for New Mexico. The Aggies shot just 7-of-18 from the line, missing opportunities to close the gap late.
Those factors sealed an 85-71 St. John’s victory. St. John’s improves to 4-0 in the season. The Johnnies now turn their attention to No. 12 Baylor on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET.
The matchup will feature potential top-five NBA draft pick V.J. Edgecombe. It also marks St. John’s first test against a ranked opponent.
For now, Rick Pitino earns the latest bragging rights. Another chapter in the father-son rivalry ends with the elder Pitino on top.
Yep, we have one too
