St. John’s upset No. 3 UConn 81-72 on Friday night, snapping the Huskies’ 18-game winning streak and moving coach Rick Pitino into a tie for third place on the all-time Division I wins list. The victory marked Pitino’s first win over a top-five team in nearly a decade and solidified St. John’s as a contender in the Big East conference.
The game at Madison Square Garden saw No. 22 St. John’s execute a physical game plan that overwhelmed UConn from the start. After falling behind early, the Red Storm unleashed a 7-0 run sparked by preseason Big East Player of the Year Zuby Ejiofor, who finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. St. John’s consistently dominated in the paint, outscoring UConn 42-34 inside and converting 16 second-chance points off nine offensive rebounds. Their aggressive approach also earned them 31 free-throw attempts compared to UConn’s 12, a key factor in maintaining control throughout the contest.
UConn struggled to handle St. John’s full-court pressure, committing 15 turnovers that led to 20 points for the Red Storm. Huskies guard Silas Demary Jr. led his team with 18 points but also turned the ball over nine times, highlighting the defensive intensity that disrupted UConn’s rhythm. The Huskies faced constant inbounding difficulties, with Pitino noting that his team’s press created numerous near five-second violations that fatigued the opponents and impacted their rebounding and passing efficiency.
A pivotal moment came in the second half when St. John’s stretched its lead to 10 points after a Bryce Hopkins three-pointer with 12:46 remaining. UConn responded with a push led by Alex Karaban, who hit a clutch three to cut the deficit to two, but the Huskies could not complete the comeback. St. John’s sealed the win in the final minutes, forcing turnovers on three consecutive possessions and going 10-for-14 from the free-throw line, with Dylan Darling’s three-pointer with 3:13 left proving particularly crucial.
The victory lifted Rick Pitino into a tie with Roy Williams for third place in Division I history with 903 career wins, marking a significant milestone in his storied coaching career. Pitino, who has now guided five different programs to top-10 wins, praised his team’s character, calling them the best group he has coached in 52 years. The win also ended UConn’s 18-game winning streak, which was the longest in the nation, and demonstrated St. John’s ability to compete at the highest level.
With this win, St. John’s has now won nine consecutive games after a 9-5 start to the season, tying them with UConn atop the Big East standings. The rematch is scheduled for February 25 in Hartford, setting the stage for a potential third meeting in the Big East tournament championship. The electric atmosphere at Madison Square Garden, dominated by St. John’s fans, underscored the significance of the victory for the Red Storm program.
Looking ahead, St. John’s emergence as a legitimate threat in the Big East could reshape the conference landscape and enhance their NCAA tournament prospects. For UConn, the loss serves as a reality check but does not diminish their status as a national contender, with both teams poised for intense competition in the coming weeks. The game highlighted the depth and physicality of Big East basketball, promising more thrilling matchups as the season progresses.
