ATLANTA — After another humbling loss, Rick Pitino hit at the biggest issue plaguing St. John’s. 

The lack of a high-end point guard. 

“That’s our fault in recruiting,” he said. “We lost out on four different big-time point guards that we went after, and we’ve got to make the best of a situation by collectively [having] other people handling the ball and bringing it up.”

Sure, there were other problems on Saturday at State Farm Arena.

The 22nd-ranked Johnnies fell apart after halftime.

They were beaten up on the glass.

Their defense fell apart. 

But one team had a playmaking point guard who made others around him better, and one team did not.

Kentucky center Malachi Moreno (24) dunks against St. John’s forward Dillon Mitchell (1) during the first half of an NCAA basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. AP

After hardly playing in the first half of Kentucky’s 78-66 victory due to a recurring shoulder injury, Jaland Lowe turned the game. 

St. John’s (7-4) couldn’t keep him out of the lane, and the southpaw torched them for 13 points and three assists without a turnover in 16 minutes.

With Lowe on the floor, the Wildcats (8-4) outscored the Red Storm by 20 points, turning an eight-point deficit into a one-sided victory. 

“We don’t have someone coming in like him,” Pitino said. “That’s our fault as a staff for not having a big-time point guard that makes people better.”

The loss continued a pattern of quick guards giving St. John’s problems.

The Johnnies had no answer for Alabama’s Labaron Philon Jr., Auburn’s Tahaad Pettiford or Lowe on Saturday.  

St. John’s is trying to turn Ian Jackson into a point guard, starting him there the past three games over Dylan Darling.

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Jackson had his moments on Saturday, finishing with 10 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and only one turnover in 29 minutes.

But it is a work in progress. 

“I will say that outside of the fact he never blocks out, Ian Jackson is improving, getting better and better,” Pitino said. “But that’s not his natural position. He’s doing a good job of getting better. That’s a big factor for us right now.”

The Hall of Fame coach later added: “I think as he keeps improving, if we can get some wins, we’ll have ourselves a respectable point guard.”

Otega Oweh #00 of the Kentucky Wildcats steals the ball from Zuby Ejiofor #24 of the St. John’s Red Storm during the first half of the game between the St. John’s Red Storm and Kentucky Wildcats at State Farm Arena. Getty Images

The second half was a mess, mirroring the Auburn loss.

St. John’s was outscored by 19, allowed 53 points and committed as many turnovers (eight) as made field goals (eight).

Kentucky had 12 offensive rebounds in the second half, equaling St. John’s entire rebounding output over the final 20 minutes.

In his debut following ACL surgery, Kentucky big man Jayden Quaintance (10 points, eight rebounds, two blocks) was dominant. 

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Pitino has talked about the need for this group to be more physical.

It hasn’t happened yet against top opponents. 

“I feel like every person has to look themselves in the mirror and just realize that in order to have a successful season we have to be able to make some changes in our character, in ourselves personally,” Zuby Ejiofor said. “Everybody has to be committed to doing whatever it takes to win, as we did last year. Today, it really didn’t go exactly as planned, as far as just being the more physical team and getting those key rebounds.” 

Bryce Hopkins scored 13 points for St. John’s, but needed 11 shots and only had three rebounds.

Rick Pitino’s team continued its underwhelming start. Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Ejiofor and Joson Sanon each had 12. 

This season of high expectations has started poorly.

St. John’s will finish the nonconference schedule 2-4 against high-major competition and will almost certainly be unranked on Monday when the new Associated Press Top 25 poll is released.

They started the year No. 5. 

“We are a decent basketball team, nothing more than decent,” Pitino said. “We have to go from decent to good.”