St. John's Basketball Wins 13 Straight Games After 4-3 Start

St. John's basketball was struggling just two months ago with a 4-3 record, but now they're making program history with their longest winning streak since 1985.

The 17th-ranked Red Storm demolished Creighton 81-52 on Saturday at Madison Square Garden, securing their 13th straight victory. It's the team's longest winning streak in 41 years and has them sitting in first place in the Big East conference with a 22-5 record.

Bryce Hopkins led the way with 15 points and 10 rebounds, but the real story is how the entire team has transformed. Coach Rick Pitino called it "the best defense we played all season," and the numbers back him up—Creighton managed just 32% shooting and couldn't crack 53 points.

Dylan Darling came off the bench to score 17 points while adding four rebounds, three assists, and three steals. The gritty point guard has become a game-changer over the past six weeks, bringing confidence and tenacity that's helped flip the team's fortunes.

"I think that Darling's changed their team in a lot of ways," Creighton coach Greg McDermott said after the game. "There's a confidence about him and there's a tenacity and toughness defensively."

The packed crowd of 19,328 fans in red witnessed St. John's dominate from the opening tip. The Red Storm jumped ahead 8-0 and never looked back, leading wire to wire in front of their home fans.

Why This Inspires

This turnaround shows what happens when a team refuses to let early struggles define their season. After that shaky 4-3 start, St. John's could have spiraled, but instead they've won 18 of their last 20 games.

The last time St. John's won this many in a row was the 1984-85 season when they rattled off 19 straight wins on their way to a No. 1 national ranking and a Final Four appearance. Now this year's squad has a chance to match the program's Big East record of 14 consecutive conference wins.

Dillon Mitchell has been another key to the transformation, contributing in ways that don't always show up in the box score. The senior forward grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out seven assists without a single turnover on Saturday.

"We have a lot of offensive threats and it's my job to try to get them good shots," Mitchell said, embodying the team-first mentality that's fueling the streak.

St. John's hasn't lost since January 3, and they face their biggest test yet on Wednesday when they visit second-place UConn. A win would give them 14 straight Big East victories and tie the program record set 40 years ago.

The Red Storm are proving that how you start doesn't determine how you finish—it's about finding your identity and believing in each other when it matters most.