Church Bells Ring in March: Darling’s Buzzer Beater Sends St. John’s to Sweet 16

Image Credit: Francisco Rodriguez/Latino Sports

SAN DIEGO, CA — The final seconds hung in the air inside Viejas Arena, creating the kind of moment March Madness was built for.

With the season on the line and the clock fading toward zero Sunday night, Dylan “Church Bells” Darling delivered the defining play of St. John’s tournament run, banking in a layup as time expired to lift the fifth-seeded Red Storm past fourth-seeded Kansas, 67–65, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. 

Darling attacked from the top of the key and drove through the lane before releasing an underhand shot that kissed the glass just before the horn sounded. The ball dropped through the net as the arena erupted.

Seconds later, teammates mobbed the guard near the St. John’s band, tackling him in celebration as the Red Storm secured their first trip to the Sweet 16 in more than two decades.

“To be honest, the ball left my hands and I hit the ground, and I didn’t even see it go in,” Darling said. “I just heard everybody going crazy.”

The dramatic finish capped a tightly contested game in which St. John’s appeared in control for much of the night before Kansas mounted a late push.

The Red Storm built momentum throughout the second half and stretched their lead to as many as 14 points before the Jayhawks rallied. Kansas battled back and eventually tied the game with just 13 seconds remaining, setting the stage for Darling’s unforgettable finish.

“We are so excited,” head coach Rick Pitino said. “It’s so jubilant to see the locker room right now. It’s been a while.”

St. John’s (30–6) now advances to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999 and will make its 10th-ever appearance in the tournament’s second weekend. The Red Storm will face top-seeded Duke on Friday in Washington, D.C., at Capital One Arena.

Zuby Ejiofor led St. John’s with 18 points while adding nine rebounds and four assists against his former team. Bryce Hopkins also scored 18 points and caught fire from beyond the arc, knocking down six three-pointers. His six makes set a new St. John’s NCAA Tournament record and marked the most by any Red Storm player this season.

Ian Jackson, a hometown kid, growing up in the Bronx, NY, added 10 points, while Dillon Mitchell contributed eight points and nine rebounds as St. John’s was met with a gritty defensive battle. The Red Storm’s defense again proved critical, forcing Kansas into 16 turnovers and converting those takeaways into 18 points.

Kansas star Darryn Peterson led all scorers with 21 points.

But the final sequence belonged to Darling.

With Kansas repeatedly fouling to disrupt St. John’s final possession, the Red Storm initially attempted to set up another play before Darling approached Pitino with a suggestion.

“He came up to me and said, ‘Run power,’” Pitino recalled, referring to a high pick-and-roll action. “I walked away thinking, wait a second. He hasn’t scored a bucket and he wants the play for himself.”

Pitino smiled recounting the moment.

“But he’s Bells,” Pitino said. “And not only did he do it, he went with his right hand.”

Darling admitted afterward that his performance earlier in the game had been far from perfect.

“I probably don’t deserve this,” Darling said. “I was pretty bad all night long, but my teammates held it down tonight. Everybody stepped up.”

His teammate Jackson said Darling’s confidence in that moment reflected exactly who he is as a player.

“He understood what time it was,” Jackson said. “He called for his own number after what he felt like was a bad night and pulled through for us. It was amazing.”

Pitino said the willingness to demand the ball despite a difficult shooting night showed the mentality of a player unafraid of the moment.

“To want the ball when you haven’t made a shot all night is unbelievable,” Pitino said. “That just speaks volumes about his confidence.”

For Pitino, the win marked another step forward in restoring St. John’s national presence. The Red Storm reached the 30-win mark for the second consecutive season and only the fourth time in the program’s 118-year history. Pitino also became just the fifth coach in NCAA Division I history to record 10 seasons with at least 30 victories.

“We’ve taken another step now,” Pitino said. “And we’re not done yet. The fun is just starting.”

March is about moments, and on Sunday night, the moment belonged to St. John’s.

And thanks to Dylan Darling’s buzzer-beater, the Red Storm are dancing into the Sweet 16.

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