They were bloodied physically, bludgeoned emotionally and seemingly left for a dead season — a shattered dream, a lifetime of regret.
After seven straight games against ranked teams, St. John’s — having lost five of them — was reduced to college basketball rubble.
One player wanted a team meeting after a 25-point humiliation at Georgetown on Wednesday night, while another said: “Don’t panic.”
There was only one path the St. John’s coaching staff considered to stop the bleeding. For 72 hours it treated the players like gladiators, hoping a hardened team could slay the basketball Goliath known as Duke and save the season.
The Red Storm lifted weights, did extra conditioning, watched film and practiced like sworn enemies, drawing blood from each other and inflicting black-and-blues on elbows and knees.
They dined together the night before they entered the coliseum known as the Garden, a glorious feast at Smith and Wollensky. But these gladiators were not being fattened for the slaughter.
They were one. Their focus sharpened like a steak knife.
Standing across from Duke, with its 19-1 record, No. 3 national ranking, and royal status as reigning national champ, during the national anthem, there was no fear.
“Coming into the season we all had this game circled,” said senior forward Sean Evans.
If the name St. John’s is uttered on the night of March 6 during the NCAA Tournament Selection Show, no doubt the committee will have circled this date as well.
This was the date St. John’s upset, check that, dismantled Duke, 93-78. The lead was as large as 25 and Duke never got within 11 in the second half.
“We wanted to be here, but they came out from the jump ball and kicked our butts,” said Duke guard Nolan Smith, who had a game-high 32.
This was the date Duke suffered its worst butt-kicking since a 23-point defeat to Villanova in the 2009 NCAA Tournament.
This was the date St. John’s (12-8) snapped a three-game losing streak and a seven-game losing streak to the Blue Devils.
This was the greatest date in St. John’s basketball history since Feb. 26, 2000, when St. John’s handed then third-ranked Duke a non-conference loss, 83-82.
“To be a part of a win like this was huge for us,” said senior forward Justin Burrell.
It was huge because the Red Storm played big. They forced Duke (19-2), which had a turnover margin of plus-4.3, into minus-8. The Johnnies turned Duke’s 17 turnovers into 28 points. They outscored Duke 50-30 in the paint.
“They got into the lane when we played zone in the first half,” said Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. “They got into the lane when we pressed them. They got into the lane when we didn’t press them. They got into the lane when we played man.”
Translation: St. John’s got into the lane.
They had 21 assists on 32 baskets by continually attacking Duke’s pressure and overplay defense. A 13-4 spurt pushed an 11-10 lead to 24-14. Then came the hammer. A 21-10 run made it 45-24.
Dwight Hardy had a team-high 26 on 9-of-13 shooting. Senior Justin Brownlee added 20 on 7-of-13 shooting. Senior guard Paris Horne turned in his Bruce Bowen impersonation with 15 points, six assists, three rebounds and two steals. Evans hit all five of his shots off the bench.
“My memory will be how we stuck together,” said Hardy. “We’re just a perfect family now.”
A family of gladiators.