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Red Storm Roar into March Madness: A New Era Begins
16 Mar
Summary
- St. John's secured a 5-seed in the East Region for the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
- They face Northern Iowa in the first round, marking their second consecutive appearance.
- The team aims to break a Sweet Sixteen drought dating back to 1999.

The St. John's Red Storm have earned a 5-seed in the East Region of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. They will begin their March Madness journey against 12-seed Northern Iowa on Friday at Viejas Center. This marks the Red Storm's second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and their 32nd overall. Before this season, consecutive tournament berths hadn't occurred since 1999 and 2000.
Northern Iowa, led by coach Ben Jacobsen, makes their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2016 after a dramatic run in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. The East Region presents a formidable challenge, featuring elite coaches like Jon Scheyer, Tom Izzo, and Dan Hurley. A potential second-round matchup against 4-seed Kansas looms, a rematch of the 1952 National Championship game.
St. John's qualified for the tournament by winning their second consecutive Big East Tournament championship, defeating UConn. This achievement mirrors Villanova's past success. The team, under Rick Pitino, has ended several long droughts but has yet to reach the Sweet Sixteen since 1999, aiming to overcome this hurdle after reaching the second round last season.




