St. John's Star Bracing for Hostile Providence Return

Bryce Hopkins expects boos and insults from Friars fans in Saturday's matchup.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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St. John's forward Bryce Hopkins is preparing for a hostile reception when he returns to Providence's Amica Mutual Pavilion on Saturday. Hopkins, who transferred from Providence two years ago, expects to be booed and insulted by the Friars fans, similar to how former coach Ed Cooley was treated. Hopkins struggled in the first matchup between the teams this season, but has since turned a corner, averaging 14.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals during St. John's 10-game winning streak. His teammates say they need to "have his back" in the tough environment.

Why it matters

This game carries major Big East title implications, as St. John's and Providence are two of the top teams in the conference. Hopkins' return to his former home arena adds an extra layer of drama and emotion to the matchup. How Hopkins handles the hostile environment could play a big role in determining the outcome.

The details

In the first meeting between the teams this season, Providence freshman Jamier Jones outplayed Hopkins, who scored just 8 points on 3-of-13 shooting. Jones later said that if Hopkins had stayed at Providence, he would still play over him. Hopkins has since made the necessary adjustments, becoming a key factor in St. John's 10-game winning streak. During this run, he is averaging 14.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals, while committing only 4 turnovers.

  • On February 12, 2026, St. John's and Providence will face off at Amica Mutual Pavilion.
  • Five weeks ago, Providence handed St. John's their lone conference loss at Madison Square Garden, with Friars fans booing Hopkins throughout the game.

The players

Bryce Hopkins

A forward for the St. John's Red Storm, who transferred from Providence two years ago. He is expecting a hostile reception from Friars fans in his return to Amica Mutual Pavilion.

Jamier Jones

A freshman forward for the Providence Friars, who outplayed Hopkins in the first matchup between the teams this season and later claimed he would still play over Hopkins if the latter had stayed at Providence.

Zuby Ejiofor

A teammate of Bryce Hopkins on the St. John's Red Storm, who says the team needs to "have his back" in the tough environment at Providence.

Rick Pitino

The head coach of the St. John's Red Storm, who praised Hopkins' performance in the team's recent win over Xavier, saying "When the game was on the line, really Bryce Hopkins won the game."

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What they’re saying

“Everybody really has to have his back. It's going to be a tough environment. It's always a tough place to play and win at. The biggest thing is to get him involved early on and seeing him get some early baskets and deter all those fans and the noise and stuff like that.”

— Zuby Ejiofor, Teammate of Bryce Hopkins (nypost.com)

“The decision for me coming here, that was my decision. I have to live with that, and it's part of the whole situation.”

— Bryce Hopkins (nypost.com)

“He's a great player, he's playing some good basketball right now. I have respect for him. He's a competitor, I'm a competitor, too. He should say that, and he should believe like he should be able to play over me at [Providence]. But that's his opinion. I have my own opinion, and that's that.”

— Bryce Hopkins (nypost.com)

What’s next

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The takeaway

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