PHILADELPHIA — The root of this St. John’s statement, here in a packed Xfinity Mobile Arena on Saturday night against a revived Villanova team, took shape two weeks ago, when the Johnnies left the Garden with what Bryce Hopkins described as a “bad taste in all our mouths” and a type of pain they never wanted to feel again.

Three convincing wins — all by double digits — that followed the disappointing loss to Providence helped. This one was more gradual. It had to be.

Villanova served as a step up for St. John’s in the Big East, and after taking nearly the entire game to pull away, after a 17-point lead early in the second half was nearly erased by the game’s final minutes, the Red Storm escaped with an 86-79 victory over the Wildcats to enter Tuesday’s showdown against Seton Hall in sole possession of second place in the conference.

Hopkins led St. John’s with 22 points and Ian Jackson contributed 18 on a season-best seven field goals. Tyler Perkins and Devin Askew paced Villanova with 23 and 21, respectively, and helped the Wildcats overcome 14 turnovers with clutch shots down the stretch.

And against his former mentee and assistant, Rick Pitino earned his seventh win in eight matchups against Kevin Willard.

“It feels good,” Hopkins said of moving into second place, “but the job’s not finished. Our eye is on a bigger goal, and we have to keep preparing at a high level no matter who our opponent is.”

Acaden Lewis goes up for a layup as Bryce Hopkins defends during the first half of St. John’s 86-79 win over Philadelphia on Jan. 17, 2025 in Philadelphia. Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Just when it seemed as if St. John’s eight-point lead with two minutes remaining had reached an insurmountable point, the Wildcats found a way to chip away. Askew hit a corner 3 to send the crowd into a frenzy as St. John’s called timeout. Joson Sanon missed a shot from behind the arc, but Askew couldn’t hit a layup at the other end, forward Matt Hodge fouled Hopkins on the rebound and his two free throws brought the lead back to seven. That, finally, was enough for the Johnnies.

St. John’s could only construct a lead as large as seven in the first half, and even after they assembled that, Villanova pulled within 36-35 by halftime.

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St. John’s had only made one 3-pointer. Oziyah Sellers, four days after pouring in 24 points, was held scoreless through the opening 20 minutes. Jackson became an unlikely source of offense.

Then, early in the second half, the Johnnies offense started to click, scoring on 12 of their first 13 possessions.

St. John’s Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino reacts to a play against the Villanova Wildcats. Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Sellers finally scored for the first time four minutes into the second half to put St. John’s up eight, and after a Hopkins steal at the other end, Jackson banked a shot in while falling to the floor and converted a 3 after a timeout.

“I feel like when we play in transition with all the guys we have and all the talent that we have on this team, it’s very hard to stop us in transition,” Hopkins said. “So I feel like whenever we apply pressure on the defensive end and in the press, I feel like it’s gonna lead to good stuff on the offensive end.”

But after the Red Storm went up 56-39 with 14:03 left, Villanova made its run. Missed free throws — 10 for the game — threatened the Johnnies lead. The Wildcats’ Bryce Lindsay saved the ball from going out of bounds and regained his footing, veering toward the corner for a return pass and a 3. Askew’s three-point play around a timeout pulled the Wildcats within seven with seven minutes remaining.

Dillon Mitchell (1) and Duke Brennan (24) battle for a loose ball during the first half of St. John’s win over Villanova. Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

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The Johnnies did enough in the final minutes, though.

Pitino’s roster, starting to take shape as a conference contender after a slow start, hit enough baskets, like Sanon, quiet for most of the night, and his 3-pointer entering the under-four media timeout. And in the first major conference test, the type that could have significant seeding implications once the Big East tournament arrives, St. John’s passed. They showed their winning streak isn’t a fluke — and that they could outlast a tough road environment.

“Second place, I don’t even think about,” Pitino said. “They don’t think about it. They’re really focused in on the next game, the next possession. … The future, if you play hard, will take care of itself.”