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Arkansas Razorbacks Upset St. John’s in NCAA Tournament
The Arkansas Razorbacks, seeded No. 10, delivered a surprise performance by defeating the No. 2 seed St. John’s Red Storm with a score of 75-66 during the NCAA Tournament’s round of 32 on Saturday, held at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island.
This matchup featured a notable coaching duel, with John Calipari securing victory over the experienced Rick Pitino.
With this loss, St. John’s becomes the first No. 2 seed to exit the tournament this year. The Red Storm experienced a dismal shooting night, hitting only 28% of their attempts from the field and managing just 2 of 22 from beyond the arc.
Pitino made the decision to bench his star player, RJ Luis Jr., late in the match. Despite being named the Big East Player of the Year, Luis struggled throughout the game, finishing with nine points and seven rebounds while shooting 3 of 17 from the field.
Zuby Ejiofor stood out for St. John’s, scoring 23 points on an efficient 7 of 12 shooting, along with 12 rebounds. Joining him in double figures was Deivon Smith, who contributed 13 points.
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During this hard-fought contest, Arkansas had a trio of players excel with double-digit scores. Billy Richmond III led the Razorbacks with 16 points and nine rebounds, while Karter Knox and Johnell Davis supported with 15 and 13 points, respectively. The Razorbacks showcased a stronger shooting percentage overall, with 42.9% from the field, but struggled from three-point range, managing only 2 of 19 attempts.
Despite their 3-point shooting difficulties, the Razorbacks advance to the Sweet 16, marking a successful first year for John Calipari at the helm of the team.
Moving forward, Arkansas will face the winner of the encounter between No. 11 seed Drake and No. 3 seed Texas Tech, scheduled to tip off at 6:10 p.m. ET on Saturday.
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