Dylan Darling sends Rick Pitino’s St. John’s squad to Sweet 16 with a dramatic buzzer-beater win over Kansas

In a thrilling finish, Dylan Darling delivered a moment to remember, sinking a dramatic buzzer-beater to lift St. John’s past Kansas and into the Sweet 16 of the men's NCAA tournament on Sunday. Coached by Rick Pitino, St. John’s battled hard throughout the game, matching Kansas shot for shot. With the clock winding down and the score tied, Darling took control, weaving through defenders before releasing a clutch shot that found the net as time expired. The arena erupted as St. John’s secured a stunning 67-65 victory, marking one of the most exciting finishes of the tournament and a defining moment in their March Madness journey. With the win, St. John's advanced to its first Sweet 16 since 1999.


The Johnnies, led by coach Pitino, appeared in control with a 58-45 lead and just over seven minutes remaining. But Kansas (24-11) stormed back with a relentless 20-7 run, tying the game when Darryn Peterson calmly knocked down two free throws with 13.1 seconds left.


The Jayhawks strategically used their fouls to drain the clock, leaving only 3.9 seconds. That proved to be just enough time for Darling, who had struggled all game and missed his previous four shots. Taking the inbound up top, he drove into the lane and released a contested attempt that banked in as the buzzer sounded, igniting wild celebrations. Darling got the last laugh with his two-point bucket - his only points of the game. He had four assists and two steals.

Darling had the final say, scoring a clutch two-point basket - his only points of the game - when it mattered most. Despite a quiet night offensively, he contributed in other ways, finishing with four assists and two steals to help his team secure the win.


Zuby Ejiofor and Bryce Hopkins led St. John’s with 18 points each, as the fifth-seeded Red Storm (30-6) continued their remarkable resurgence under Pitino. They now advance to face top-seeded Duke in the East Region semifinal.

The matchup also featured a rare coaching duel between Pitino and Bill Self, two Hall of Famers with multiple national titles. Meanwhile, Kansas fell short of returning to the Sweet 16, despite strong performances from Peterson and Melvin Council Jr., closing a season marked by inconsistency after a promising start.