No. 22 St. John”s made a significant statement in the Big East by defeating the third-ranked UConn team 81-72 at the iconic Madison Square Garden on Friday night, putting an end to UConn”s impressive 18-game winning streak.
In this crucial matchup, Zuby Ejiofor led the Red Storm with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. Head coach Rick Pitino praised his team”s composure, saying, “We made a lot of big plays tonight, and I”m proud of our guys for just not panicking at any point in the game.”
This contest marked the first meeting of the season between the top two teams in the Big East. In addition to Ejiofor”s standout performance, Dillon Mitchell contributed 15 points and Bryce Hopkins added 14 for St. John”s (18-5, 11-1), who have won nine consecutive games and 14 of their last 16. This victory puts them just a half-game behind the first-place Huskies (22-2, 12-1) in the conference standings.
With this win, Pitino reached a milestone, tying with Roy Williams for third place in Division I history with 903 career wins. After the game, a jubilant Ejiofor celebrated by joining the enthusiastic St. John”s student section. The senior forward, who was named the Big East preseason player of the year, also recorded three blocks and two steals during the game.
“It was just an all-around great atmosphere to play basketball,” Ejiofor remarked. “Friday night at MSG, great opponent, and we had more of a home crowd than we expected. The student crowd was engaged, and all the emotions really just flowed out.”
On the other side, Silas Demary Jr. led UConn with 18 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, but he struggled with ball control, committing nine of the team”s 15 turnovers. Coach Dan Hurley described the game as a “roller-coaster ride,” noting, “We were too loose with the ball.”
Alex Karaban added 17 points for UConn in front of a sell-out crowd of 19,812, which was notably filled with more St. John”s supporters. “I thought The Garden was as good as I”ve seen it,” Pitino said, adding that the atmosphere was “unbelievable.” Hurley acknowledged the crowd”s impact, saying, “I saw a lot of red. That felt like a real road game.”
St. John”s excelled at the free-throw line, hitting 22 out of 31 attempts, while UConn managed only five of 12. Hurley commented on the physicality of St. John”s frontcourt, stating, “They”re grown men. They”re built for Big East games.”
UConn”s only other loss this season occurred on November 19 against undefeated Arizona, currently ranked as the top team in the nation. Hurley reflected on the team”s previous success, saying, “We”ve had an unbelievable run. We haven”t lost in months.”
Despite shooting 55% from the field and making nine three-pointers, UConn faltered defensively in the second half. St. John”s surged ahead with a 10-0 run, and even though UConn managed to cut the lead to one point, the Red Storm maintained control until the end.
With the victory, Pitino emphasized the importance of his players embracing the moment. “It was a really passionate game. It was a meaningful game. We knew exactly what we were playing for,” Ejiofor reflected. “Our preparation leading up to this game was as great as it”s been. We were able to lock in for a full 40 minutes and grind it out, doing whatever it takes to win each and every possession.”
This matchup was significant as it was the first time both schools faced off at The Garden with rankings in the AP Top 25 since St. John”s captured the Big East Tournament championship in 2000. The teams will meet again on February 25 in Hartford, Connecticut. Pitino concluded, “I”m certainly going to celebrate tonight. We”ve just got to keep it going and try and get better. What Bryce, Dillon, and Zuby are doing in the frontcourt is pretty special.”
