Nate "Tiny" Archibald isn’t walking through that door. And Rick Pitino knows it.
The Hall of Fame coach didn’t mince words when asked about St. John’s point guard situation, referencing the legendary 6-foot-1 playmaker who carved up the NBA from 1970 to 1984 despite being one of the smallest guys on the floor.
Archibald averaged 18.8 points and 7.4 assists over 876 career games and remains one of the best to ever do it at his size. But Pitino made it clear - there’s no savior coming at semester break.
“What would you like me to say? I’m waiting for Tiny Archibald to come back?”
Pitino fired back when asked about the Red Storm’s backcourt. “That’s what you have to do when you don’t have one.
You make a positive from a negative and say we’ve got to do it collectively as a team.”
That’s the reality for St. John’s.
No elite floor general is arriving to fix things. And the contrast was on full display against Kentucky, where freshman guard Jaland Lowe stepped in and showed exactly what the Johnnies are missing.
Lowe didn’t just play well - he changed the game.
The Pittsburgh transfer dropped 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting, dished out three assists, and posted a team-best +20 in just 15 minutes of action. He was electric in the pick-and-roll, slippery going downhill, and composed under pressure - all the things Pitino wishes he had in a point guard.
“He’s very difficult to guard in a pick-and-roll, and he makes plays going to the rim like a Tiny Archibald,” Pitino said. “He can take the contact and still make shots, still make plays. He’s a really good pick-and-roll guy.”
But here’s where the story really takes a turn.
Lowe’s night almost ended before it began. He checked in with 16:18 left in the first half and was back on the bench just seven seconds later. On a defensive play, he took a hit, reached for his shoulder - the same one that’s already been dislocated twice this season - and ran straight to the locker room.
“I told the trainers it came out,” Lowe said postgame. “Everything was going through my head.”
In that moment, it looked like his night - and maybe his season - was over. But Lowe didn’t stay down for long.
After a few minutes in the back, he realized it might not be as bad as he feared. And once he felt even a little bit right, he knew he had to get back out there.
That’s the identity of this Kentucky team now: toughness, grit, resilience. And Lowe wanted to embody that.
“I think seeing these guys every day, especially a guy like Jayden (Quaintance), they fight every day,” Lowe said. “And that’s just our identity.
We fight. We’re a tough group.
And I knew if I was even a little bit good to be able to play, I was going to give it a go.”
He told his teammates at halftime: I’m going back out there. I’m going to live with it.
And he did.
Lowe returned with 17:07 left in the second half and played the next eight minutes straight. After a short breather, he came back in and logged another six minutes, checking out with a minute to go and Kentucky up 14. Every second he was on the court, he played like a man who knew what was at stake - and who didn’t care what it cost him physically.
That kind of presence - even in limited minutes - was the difference between Kentucky winning and losing. His control of tempo, ability to break down the defense, and sheer will to compete gave the Wildcats a spark they desperately needed.
Pitino saw it. He didn’t love having to admit it, but he couldn’t deny it either.
“They’re a totally different basketball team when he’s on the court.”
Now the focus for Kentucky is clear: keep Jaland Lowe healthy, keep him on the floor, and ride that edge he brings. Because when he’s in the game, the Wildcats don’t just look better - they look like a team that can beat anyone.