Now, they wait to find out their fate.
It was fun for a half, and some brief moments after halftime, St. John’s hanging with defending national champion Connecticut.
But that didn’t last.
The Huskies are too good, too talented, too well-coached.
So now, after this 95-90 defeat to the top-seeded Huskies in the Big East Tournament semifinals at a rocking Garden, the fifth-seeded Johnnies will wait to hear if their name will be called by the selection committee.
Most indications are they will, although depending on how everything shakes out, Rick Pitino’s team could wind up in Dayton in the First Four.
Even in defeat, as St. John’s had its six-game winning streak snapped, there was a lot to like.
It hung with UConn until the very end, trailing by eight at the under-4 media timeout.
The backcourt of Daniss Jenkins and Jordan Dingle combined for 46 points, and the Johnnies out-rebounded the Huskies by four.
It just wasn’t enough.
Connecticut has too many weapons.
Whether it was Tristen Newton’s brilliant 25-point, nine-assist, six-rebound effort, Cam Spencer’s efficient 20 points and nine assists, or Alex Karaban’s 14, St. John’s couldn’t slow them down.
The Huskies shot 57 percent from the field and 50 percent from distance.
They didn’t even get much out of standout center Donovan Clingan due to foul trouble.