St. John's Faces Omaha in March Madness First Round

The St. John's Red Storm, led by Coach Rick Pitino, are set to face the Omaha Mavericks in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament as the No. 2 seed in the West Region. This marks St. John's first tournament appearance since 2019 and their highest seed since 2000, following a successful season that included winning both the Big East regular season and tournament titles. Omaha, entering their first-ever NCAA Tournament, won the Summit League championship, but St. John's is heavily favored, listed as a 17.5-point favorite. Both teams will meet in Providence, Rhode Island, where the Red Storm will aim to maintain their strong performance, particularly in rebounding, as they pursue a deep tournament run. The matchup is scheduled for Thursday, March 20, 2025, though the exact tipoff time has yet to be announced. Despite their underdog status, Omaha hopes to make an impact in their inaugural tournament appearance.