Field Level Media Top 25: No. 12 St. John's

Oct 1, 2026; New York, NY, USA; St. John's Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino speaks at 2026 Big East Media Day at Marriott Marquis. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Field Level Media college basketball writers submitted ballots for their Top 25 men's basketball teams entering the 2026-27 season. The poll results are in: Here's a closer look at No. 12 St. John's 12. ST. JOHN'S 2025-26 record: 30-7 Outlook for 2026-27: Rick Pitino and the Red Storm beat UConn by one game for the regular-season title, then trounced the Huskies in the final of the Big East tournament. A reloaded St. John's stands as UConn's main threat in the league once again. What we like: How about the No. 1 transfer class in the sport, per the 247Sports composite rankings? Keyshawn Hall (19.3 ppg at Auburn) plus Tounde Yessoufou (17.8 ppg at Baylor) on the wings will create a matchup headache for every opponent. Trouble ahead: Syracuse transfer Donnie Freeman was going to be a ready-made power forward but tore his Achilles in the summer. Frontcourt production comes down to returning forward Ruben Prey, who played a bit part last season, Indiana transfer Reed Bailey and 7-foot-1 Serbian import Lazar Stojkovic. Top newcomer: For all the NCAA vets that transferred in, the best newcomer may well be Englishman Quinn Ellis. St. John's operated without a "true" point guard last year, but Ellis, 23, brings a 6-foot-5 frame and a load of experience from Europe. --Field Level Media