St. John's advanced to the Big East semifinals after defeating Providence 85-72 in a quarterfinal, a game that was not as close as the final score indicated. The game was a physical contest, with St. John’s leading by 21 points in the first half and leading by 16 points in a 16-5 burst after Providence had clawed back an earlier 11-11. The win makes St.John's (26-6) the third consecutive Big East semifinalist, marking their third consecutive game in the tournament. The winner of the game will face the winner of No. 4 Seton Hall/No. 5 Creighton.