NEWARK – The boos rained down on Kadary Richmond from the moment he took the Prudential Center court Saturday night. Since last spring, when Richmond transferred from Seton Hall to St. John’s for his postgraduate season – the first Pirate basketball player ever to switch to another Big East program – this game was circled on Hall fans’ calendar.

RJ Luis went for 22 points and 8 rebounds and Zuby Ejiofor had 15 and 9 for St. John’s (16-3, 7-1 Big East), which has won five straight and is poised for the program’s first NCAA Tournament main-draw bid since 2015.

Seton Hall fans waited for months to see Kadary Richmond, their ally-turned-rival, make his return to the Prudential Center. From the opening tip-off, they booed vociferously whenever Kadary Richmond touched the ball,

“It was nice to come back and get a win, despite all the boos and stuff like that,” Richmond said.

Rick Pitino says Kadary Richmond would’ve stayed at Seton Hall “if the money was close.” The 6-foot-6 Brooklyn native transferred to St. John’s from The Hall last spring for an NIL bag that was more significant than what Seton Hall could offer. Top transfers in today’s market can get in the high six-figures or even low seven.

“Yeah, I think being booed is something that he can handle,” St. John’s Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino said Friday. “Well, he grew up on the streets of Brooklyn, so I think he can handle being booed. He’s not going to cry.”