Honestly, if you're a St. John's fan, just hearing the words "Arkansas Razorbacks" probably makes your stomach do a little flip. Not the good kind. The kind you get when you realize you've left the stove on or just watched a double-digit seed ruin your March Madness bracket.
The most recent arkansas vs st john's score isn't just a number on a box score. It's a reminder of one of the wildest upsets in recent tournament history.
On March 22, 2025, the scoreboard at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence read: Arkansas 75, St. John's 66.
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It was a shocker. Absolute mayhem. Rick Pitino’s Red Storm entered that NCAA Tournament Second Round as a No. 2 seed, looking like a legitimate Final Four threat. They had 31 wins. They had the momentum. They had the "home-ish" crowd in the Northeast. But John Calipari’s 10th-seeded Hogs didn't care about the seeding or the "Johnnies" hype. They walked into that arena and basically snatched the game away in the final four minutes.
Breaking Down the 75-66 Arkansas Victory
What actually happened? If you look at the box score, you'll see a mess of missed shots. St. John's shot a dismal 28% from the field. Twenty-eight percent! You can't win a game in March shooting like that unless the other team literally forgets to show up. Arkansas didn't forget.
Arkansas led by as many as 13 points in the second half. Then, because it's March, things got weird. St. John's clawed back. Zuby Ejiofor was a monster for the Red Storm, putting up 23 points and 12 rebounds. He basically kept them in it single-handedly. When Ruben Prey drove the baseline for a massive dunk to make it 66-64 with four minutes left, everyone in Providence thought the comeback was complete.
Then the Hogs tightened the screws.
Karter Knox, Johnell Davis, and Billy Richmond III—the trio that basically carried Arkansas that day—combined for 44 points. They didn't panic. While St. John's was clanking jumpers, Arkansas was getting to the free-throw line. Knox was 9-of-11 from the stripe. That’s how you close a game.
The Statistical Oddities
Usually, when you outrebound a team 51-45 and grab 28 offensive rebounds, you win. St. John's did exactly that. They had second, third, and fourth chances on almost every possession. But when you go 2-of-22 from the three-point line, those extra chances don't mean much.
Arkansas, on the other hand, was efficient enough. They shot 42.9%. Not world-beating, but enough to survive.
Why This Matchup Always Feels Personal
There’s a bit of history here that people forget. These two programs don't play every year, but when they do meet, it’s usually on a big stage. Before the 2025 upset, they met in the 1993 NCAA Tournament. Arkansas won that one too, 80-74. You have to go all the way back to 1985 to find a St. John's win in this series (68-65).
The current vibe between the two fanbases is... let's call it "energetic."
Arkansas fans love to brag about their tournament pedigree. They’ve got that "anytime, anywhere" mentality that Calipari has leaned into. St. John's is trying to reclaim their status as the kings of New York basketball, and losing to a 10-seed in the second round was a massive gut punch to that narrative.
The Calipari vs Pitino Factor
You can't talk about the arkansas vs st john's score without talking about the guys on the sidelines. Calipari and Pitino. Two Hall of Famers. Two guys who have been rivals since the 90s.
Pitino was visibly frustrated after the 75-66 loss, noting that his team "couldn't throw a pebble into the ocean." Calipari, meanwhile, looked like a guy who knew exactly how to play the underdog role. It was a coaching masterclass in defensive pressure. Arkansas forced turnovers at the exact right moments to kill the Red Storm's rhythm.
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What the Future Holds for Arkansas and St. John's
As we move through the 2025-26 season, both teams are in very different spots. St. John's has kept a lot of that core, including Zuby Ejiofor and Ian Jackson. They are playing like a team with a massive chip on their shoulder. As of mid-January 2026, the Red Storm are sitting pretty in the Big East standings, having just dismantled Marquette 92-68.
Arkansas is doing Arkansas things. They’re up and down but dangerous. They’ve had some tough road losses, but they remain a team nobody wants to see in a bracket.
Key Takeaways for Bettors and Fans
- **Defense wins: ** In their last meeting, Arkansas proved that field goal percentage defense is more important than rebounding totals.
- **The "Big City" struggle: ** St. John's historically struggles when the pressure of being a high seed hits.
- Star Power: Keep an eye on the guard matchups. Arkansas wins when their wings (like Karter Knox) can create their own shots late in the shot clock.
If these two meet again in the 2026 tournament, don't just look at the rankings. Look at the styles. St. John's wants to play fast and physical, but Arkansas has a weird way of turning games into a grind that favors their individual playmakers.
The best way to stay ahead of the next arkansas vs st john's score is to track the shooting consistency of the St. John's backcourt. If they're hitting threes, they're unbeatable. If they're cold, well, we've seen that movie before.
Check the current SEC and Big East standings to see how their resumes are shaping up for March. If you're looking for an underdog to ride in the next tournament, the Hogs have proven they've got the DNA for it, regardless of what the "experts" say.