Dylan Darling's clutch plays propel St. John's over UConn

Backup point guard scores 9 points and dishes 2 assists in the second half to help No. 22 St. John's defeat No. 3 UConn 81-72 at Madison Square Garden

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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In a close game against third-ranked UConn, backup point guard Dylan Darling made several key plays down the stretch to lead No. 22 St. John's to an 81-72 victory at Madison Square Garden. Darling scored 9 points and had 2 assists in the second half, including a clutch stepback 3-pointer and an assist for a crucial basket that helped the Red Storm pull away late.

Why it matters

This win over a top-5 opponent is a big boost for the St. John's program, which has now beaten UConn three times in a row for the first time since 1999-2000. Darling's heroics off the bench highlight the depth and talent on the St. John's roster, as they continue to make a push for a high NCAA Tournament seed.

The details

With the game tied late, Dylan Darling hit a stepback 3-pointer to give St. John's a 5-point lead. On the next possession, Darling found teammate Zuby Ejiofor for a key basket that helped the Red Storm pull away. Darling scored all 9 of his points and dished out both of his assists in the second half, also playing strong defense to force 15 UConn turnovers.

  • Dylan Darling hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 3:13 remaining in the game.
  • On the following possession, Darling assisted on a basket by Zuby Ejiofor.

The players

Dylan Darling

The backup point guard for St. John's, known for making clutch plays down the stretch of close games.

Zuby Ejiofor

A St. John's player who scored a key basket late in the game off an assist from Dylan Darling.

Rick Pitino

The Hall of Fame head coach of the St. John's basketball team.

Dan Hurley

The head coach of the UConn basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“His level of wanting to take over a game is amazing to me. He breaks a play and goes to the rim, makes a great steal and goes to the floor, makes a big 3. It's really amazing what he's doing right now.”

— Rick Pitino, Head Coach, St. John's

“He's a great point guard. That guy is a heckuva player. When they need that guy to step up, he made a huge difference in that game.”

— Dan Hurley, Head Coach, UConn

What’s next

St. John's will look to continue their momentum when they face Xavier on Monday, in a matchup between Rick Pitino and his son Richard Pitino, the head coach of Xavier.

The takeaway

Dylan Darling's clutch performance off the bench highlights the depth and talent of the St. John's roster, as they continue to prove they can beat top-ranked opponents and make a push for a high NCAA Tournament seed.