Bryce Hopkins makes St. Johns March Madness…
SAN DIEGO — Bryce Hopkins, 3-point sniper?
Suddenly, the senior ahead is lighting it up from distance.
On Sunday, he set a St. John’s NCAA Tournament file with six 3-pointers in 9 tries as the fifth-seeded Johnnies superior to the Sweet 16 with a pulsating 67-65 victory over No. 4 Kansas at Viejas Arena.
“I wanted to come here to play meaningful basketball and have a chance to make a big run in March,” Hopkins said. “We’re definitely doing it.”
Hopkins’ success from long vary has been a current boon. He has hit a number of 3-pointers in three straight video games after failing to do so in consecutive video games all season. His earlier profession high for made 3s in a sport was three.
St. John’s Red Storm ahead Bryce Hopkins #23 capturing a bounce shot during an NCAA Tournament sport against the Kansas Jayhawks. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
“He passed up three wide-open ones. I said, ‘Man, everybody dreams of getting hot like you. You’ve got to take them,’ ” coach Rick Pitino said. “He finally said, ‘I gotcha, Coach.’ And right in front of our bench, I said, ‘eliminate it, Hop.’ And he did it. And that was a big play for us.”
Pitino was referring to a Hopkins 3-pointer with 1:29 remaining that pushed a one-point lead to 4.
Hopkins has been terrific of late, averaging 14.5 factors and 7.5 rebounds in the past six video games.
He’s also capturing a blistering 57.8 p.c from 3-point vary.
CHECK OUT THE LATEST BIG EAST STANDINGS AND ST. JOHN’S STATS
Now, he’s in the Sweet 16 for the first time.
“I feel like I’m a good shooter. I practice every day. It’s a matter of me being confident,” Hopkins said. “My guys give me confidence. It fell tonight. It feels really good to be going to the Sweet 16.”
Hopkins and St. John’s have hit 21 3-pointers in two NCAA Tournament video games, a key to the Red Storm advancing to the second weekend for the first time since 1999.
That’s their most 3s in consecutive video games this season.
“We shoot a lot of 3s. We practice. It’s a matter of guys being confident and taking them,” Hopkins said. “They fell tonight in the biggest moment of most of our careers.”
Now, the Red Storm will play their next sport at Capital One Arena, where they hit a season-high 15 3-pointers in a win over Georgetown on Dec. 31.
“Hopefully, we can come back and make another 15 3s when we go there,” Hopkins said.
Stay up to date with the latest trending topics! Visit our web site daily for the freshest Sports news and content, fastidiously curated to keep you informed.
