The thrill of March Madness is here, where every underdog dreams of an upset. Can the Omaha Mavericks defy history against Rick Pitino’s surging St. John’s Red Storm? With contrasting styles and high stakes, this first-round clash promises a captivating start to the tournament. “Just focus on what you can control and that’s Omaha. Our respect for Omaha is off the charts. They can really play” said Rick Pitino during Wednesday’s news conference. Giving your adversary the required respect is essential, as no risks can be taken throughout a single-elimination tournament like March Madness.
The Omaha Mavericks have done well for themselves this year, having gone on a recent 8-2 run, and averaged 84.0 points, 34.2 rebounds, 15.8 assists, 6.0 steals, and 2.6 blocks in the process, along with shooting 49.3% from the field. Their opponents have meanwhile reportedly averaged 76.3 points. March Madness has already provided folks with some unexpected surprises, such as Hubert Davis’s UNC Tar Heels pulling off a major 95-68 win against the San Diego State Aztecs after their qualification for March Madness itself was questioned. Therefore, can the Mavericks pull off a surprise like that against St John’s? Not really, if one is to listen to the odds.
The Omaha Mavericks were listed as the top seed in the conference tournament. They achieved this by setting an overall 22-12 record and a Summit League record of 13–3. The Mavericks even defeated Kansas City, South Dakota, and St. Thomas to win the tournament championship. However, their contributions were only enough to earn the squad the 15th seed in the West region. Meanwhile, the selection committee on Sunday made the Red Storm (30-4) the No. 2 seed in the West Region. As highlighted by the Providence Journal, 15 seeds have beaten their second-ranked opponents only 11 times in the NCAA Tournament’s entire history. Only 3 times in the past 4 years.
St John’s starting lineup will most probably feature RJ Luis, Zuby Ejiofor, Kadary Richmond, and two other players that will be determined by Coach Rick Pitino. As for Omaha, their starting five might have Tony Osburn, Marquel Sutton, Kamryn Thomas, JJ White, and Issac Ondekane. RJ Luis may be relied upon to drop plenty of points. However, it is important to remember that the player averaged 18.4 points per game this season. With St. John’s coming off a deep run in the Big East tournament, and with them being favorites against Omaha, Rick Pitino could opt to rest his top-scorer in the second half.
Mar 15, 2025; New York, NY, USA; St. John’s Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino coaches against the Creighton Bluejays during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
St John’s holds an advantage in limiting its rival team’s 3-point shooting. According to Newsday, Omaha shoots nearly 37% on the three-point arc. The team scores one third of its points that way. If St. John’s has shown anything during their season run, the squad is capable of shutting down a long-range attack with players who can defend every position. Pitino’s favorite attack on good shooting teams is using a full-court press to wear their legs out. This causes the rival players to miss shots late in the game. “No doubt, we have to make shots,” said Chris Crutchfield. “That’s been our team identity all year, to spread the floor and make shots”.
Well, there is an opening for Rick Pitino to make use of. Restricting 3-pointers is important since St. John’s average of 6 3-pointers per game is 2.7 less than the 8.7 per game average of Omaha.
As highlighted by kenpom.com, St John’s is the top team in the country in defensive efficiency. It holds opponents to 65.9 points per game. They are the fourth-best offensive-rebounding team in the nation, averaging 14.5. On top of that, the squad ranks tenth in the nation in turnovers forced at 15.6. Compare this to Omaha Mavericks, which ranks 59th nationally in terms of offense, with an efficiency rating of 1.100. The friction created between these two teams will generate more heat than a space module does during re-entry (figuratively).
Due to these factors, the Red Storm is a massive favorite to win against the Mavericks. Rick Pitino’s squad is favored by 18.5 points. The over/under for the game is set at 148.5. Despite this, RJ Luis is not looking to take things lightly.
RJ Luis sets pressure and expectations on himself before the St John’s-Omaha game: “This is the biggest tournament in the world”
RJ Luis has certainly made a mark for himself this season. He earned the Dave Gavitt Trophy as the BIG EAST Tournament Most Outstanding Player. Furthermore, he made it to the All-Tournament Team alongside teammates Zuby Ejiofor and Kadary Richmond. If that wasn’t enough, Luis also ranked top-five in the BIG EAST in scoring. The last is thanks to him having averaged 18.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists throughout 33 games this season. The only thing that can improve what position he gets if he chooses to declare for the NBA draft is his team’s progression through March Madness. Therefore, the star scorer is not leaving anything to chance.
“It’s a win-or-go-home situation,” said RJ Luis Jr. “I think pressure is great. This is the biggest tournament in the world. It’s a great opportunity for me and all my teammates to go out there and show our abilities and to keep on representing the St. John’s we wear on our chest every night.”
Rick Pitino and his St. John’s Red Storm take the floor in Providence for a quick practice ahead of their first round game against Omaha on Thursday
Pitino has deep basketball ties to New England, having played at UMass (1971-74) and coached at BU (1978-83), PC (1985-87) and the… pic.twitter.com/UcupaWP7GX
— Tom Carroll (@yaboiTCfresh) March 19, 2025
The St John’s Red Storm vs the Omaha Mavericks? Who will you be rooting for? Let us know in the comments.
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