NEWYou can now listen to Pakinomist articles!
March Madness has a new tax.
St. John’s Red Storm guard Dylan Darling found a lane and drove it. With four seconds left in the game, he blew past Kansas Jayhawks defenseman Elmarko Jackson and made the game-winning layup before time expired.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON Pakinomist
Dylan Darling #0 of St. John’s Red Storm shoots the ball against Elmarko Jackson #13 and Flory Bidunga #40 of the Kansas Jayhawks during the second half in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Viejas Arena at San Diego State University on March 20 in San Diego, California, 20262, California. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
St. John’s Red Storm guard Dylan Darling (0) shoots the game-winning shot against the Kansas Jayhawks in the second half during a second round men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament game at Viejas Arena on March 22, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
For the first time since 1999, the Red Storm will be headed to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
“It was ugly, but we got it done,” Darling said.
The No. 4-seeded St. John’s struggled late in the second half as Kansas pushed up the floor. St. John’s had a 10-point lead with 6:36 left in the game. But a couple of missed shots and a couple of turnovers and the Jayhawks were right back in the game.
Kansas star Darryn Peterson made two free throws with 13 seconds left to tie the game. The No. 5 seed Jayhawks had four fouls to give and used them all to tie the game with about four seconds left. The idea was to keep the Red Storm on their toes and prevent them from making a decent move.
KENTUCKY SURVIVES SANTA CLARA IN OVERTIME AFTER OTEGA OWEH’S MIRACLE BUZZER-BEATER
But Darling got the last laugh with his two-point bucket — his only points of the game. He had four assists and two steals.
Red Storm’s Zuby Ejofor and Bryce Hopkins each had 18 points to lead St. John’s.
Peterson led Kansas with 21 points. Melvin Council Jr. had 15 points and Flory Bidunga had 12 points.
St. John’s Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino talks with forward Sadiku Ibine Ayo (2) during the first half against the Kansas Jayhawks during a second round men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament game at Viejas Arena on March 22, 2026. (Denis Poroy/Imagn Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE Pakinomist APP
This is the fourth year in a row that Kansas has failed to advance out of the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
