Rick Pitino got St. John’s back to the Sweet 16 with a buzzer-beater over Kansas. The last time the Johnnies stood on this stage, a 19-year-old from Queens named Ron Artest was doing the damage.
That was 1999. Twenty-seven years is a long time. The weight of that era never fully lifted from the program. Zuby Ejiofor, the Red Storm’s star forward in 2026, put it plainly after Dylan Darling’s game-winner over Kansas: “It means a lot to New York, Johnnies Nation. They haven’t been here since 1999.”
The 1999 Run: Ron Artest, Erick Barkley and a Near-Final Four
Mike Jarvis was in his first season as St. John’s coach in 1999, and he had something to work with. The Red Storm entered the tournament as a No. 3 seed with a 25-8 record after losing the Big East title game to UConn. The bracket opened, and St. John’s answered.
St. John’s blew out No. 14 Samford, then dispatched No. 6 Indiana before holding No. 2 Maryland to 62 points in the Sweet 16, winning 76-62. Freshman guard Erick Barkley poured in 24 points in that win. Ron Artest, a sophomore, did his damage all over the floor, finishing with three steals and six blocks despite a quiet offensive day.
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That season, Artest showed the defensive brilliance that would define his NBA career. He averaged more than 14 points, five-plus rebounds, two-plus steals and more than a block per game on a roster that also included Bootsy Thornton, Lavor Postell and Tyrone Grant. He went on to win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award and later changed his name to Metta World Peace.
The Elite Eight is where 1999 ended. Ohio State, led by Michael Redd, beat the Johnnies 77-74. Artest struggled with five turnovers and nine points. Postell gave St. John’s everything he had with 24 points. The run remains tied for the program’s deepest NCAA Tournament finish outside of its 1952 and 1985 appearances.
What Rick Pitino’s 2026 Team Can Do That 1999 Couldn’t
The 2026 Red Storm finished 30-6, won back-to-back Big East regular season and tournament championships, and entered the Sweet 16 as a No. 5 seed. Their path runs through No. 1 Duke in the East Region semifinals.
Pitino is in his third season in Queens. He has taken three different programs to the Final Four over his career and holds a 57-22 all-time record in NCAA Tournament play. The 1999 team punched above its weight and came one win short of the Final Four. This team has more depth, a coach who has already been to the mountain, and 27 years of waiting behind it.
St. John’s hasn’t been here in a generation. Duke is the top seed and the favorite. But the Red Storm have given no indication that they came this far just to leave quietly.
