St. John's team and its tears won't be forgotten by the city that embraced them

St. John's fell to Duke 80-75 in the Sweet 16, and seniors Zuby Ejiofor and Dillon Mitchell showed emotion as coach Rick Pitino praised the team's unity and character.

St. John's lost to Duke 80-75 in the Sweet 16 at Capital One Arena, bringing the Red Storm's season to an end. Several seniors, notably Zuby Ejiofor and Dillon Mitchell, became emotional at the postgame news conference. Ejiofor said he chose to remain at St. John's rather than enter the portal, citing close relationships with teammates and coaches. Coach Rick Pitino spoke warmly of the group's unity and compared them to memorable teams from his long career. Key facts: - Final score was Duke 80, St. John's 75 in the Sweet 16 at Capital One Arena. - Zuby Ejiofor said he turned down significant NIL offers to stay and became emotional while thanking fans; teammate Dillon Mitchell also choked up. - Coach Rick Pitino called the team one of the most unique in his 52-year career and praised the players' character and cohesion. - Duke guard Caleb Foster played despite a recent foot injury and was cited as a decisive factor in the late stretch. - St. John's outscored Duke 39-15 from three-point range in the game but allowed Duke to make 10 of its final 12 shots. Summary: St. John's season ended in the Sweet 16, and the team's loyalty and conduct drew attention alongside the close score. The game combined strong perimeter shooting by St. John's with a late run from Duke that determined the outcome. Undetermined at this time.