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PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The first year the NCAA fully seeded its championship tournament was 1979, which was also the first year they expanded from 32 teams to 40. That was good news for St. John’s. Lou Carnesecca was so certain his team would be left out of the field that he was at an Italian restaurant enjoying supper when Jack Kaiser, his AD called.

“Looks like someone was looking out for us,” Kaiser told Looie.

“Well, if we’re gonna play in it, we might as well win it!” chirped the coach.

They didn’t. But those Johnnies did give the faithful their most thrilling ride in years, happily accepting that 10th seed — they were the very last team invited into the field — and proceeding to topple No. 7 Temple, No. 2 Duke (in Raleigh, of all places) and No. 6 Rutgers. The ride, and the dream, finally ended when No. 9 Penn ousted them 64-62.