If fans want to watch the St. John’s basketball team in its first NCAA Tournament since 2019 they might need to start getting some extra sleep now or get ready to put another pot of coffee on.
The NCAA and CBS announced that the Johnnies will tipoff against Omaha at approximately 9:45 p.m. ET (CBS) in Providence, Rhode Island. It’ll be 25 minutes after the completion of the Kansas and Arkansas game.
Regardless of the exact tipoff time, it will the latest start of the season for the Red Storm.
“We’re excited to be going to Providence,” Rick Pitino said before the tipoff time was made public. “It’s not a long trip for us.”
However, Pitino is not expecting much of an advantage in terms of fans at the Amica Mutual Pavilion despite the close proximity to Queens and the affinity that Providence fans have for him.
“I think in the NCAA Tournament it’s not much of a factor,” he explained.
Pitino said a team like Louisville playing in Lexington, Kentucky would have been a major benefit with its fans, but it doesn’t apply to the Red Storm.
Still, St. John’s has experience in the building this season with its buzzer beating victory by Zuby Ejiofor against the Friars on December 20 when it trailed by as many as 16 points in the first half.
Rick Pitino still isn’t putting any stock in the fact that the Johnnies will be familiar with its surroundings.
“It’s nice, convenient that we only have to travel three hours by bus, but then if we ever advance and move on, I think we’re going to San Francisco.”
St. John’s will begin its trek to Rhode Island on Tuesday where it hopes to be staying until the end of the Round of 32 on Saturday.