No. 22 St. John's ends No. 3 UConn's 18-game win streak

Red Storm hand Huskies first Big East loss of the season at Madison Square Garden

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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In a matchup of the Big East's top two teams, No. 22 St. John's defeated third-ranked UConn 81-72 at Madison Square Garden, snapping the Huskies' 18-game winning streak. Zuby Ejiofor led the way for the Red Storm with 21 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, while Dillon Mitchell and Bryce Hopkins also scored in double figures. The win moves St. John's within a half-game of UConn in the conference standings.

Why it matters

This game was a significant early-season showdown between the top two teams in the Big East, with St. John's proving it can compete with the conference powerhouse UConn. The Red Storm's victory at the iconic Madison Square Garden also gives them a major confidence boost as they look to challenge the Huskies for the Big East title.

The details

St. John's used a balanced scoring attack and stifling defense to hand UConn its first loss in Big East play this season. The Red Storm went on a 10-0 run in the second half to open up a 10-point lead, and they were able to hold off a late Huskies comeback attempt. UConn committed 15 turnovers, with junior point guard Silas Demary Jr. responsible for nine of them.

  • The game was played on Friday, February 7, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The players

Zuby Ejiofor

A senior forward for St. John's and the Big East preseason player of the year, Ejiofor had a dominant all-around performance with 21 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, three blocks and two steals.

Dillon Mitchell

A key contributor for St. John's, scoring 15 points in the win over UConn.

Bryce Hopkins

Scored 14 points for the Red Storm, including a crucial 3-pointer during their second-half run.

Silas Demary Jr.

The junior point guard for UConn led the Huskies with 18 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists, but also committed 9 of the team's 15 turnovers.

Dan Hurley

The head coach of UConn, who acknowledged his team was "too loose with the ball" in the loss.

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What they’re saying

“We made a lot of big plays tonight, a lot of big plays, and I'm proud of our guys for just not panicking one bit at any point in the game.”

— Rick Pitino, Hall of Fame coach, St. John's (AP News)

“Just an all-around great atmosphere to play basketball. Friday night, MSG, great opponent, and, like Coach said, we had more of a home crowd than we thought, and the student crowd was engaged. All the emotions really just flew out.”

— Zuby Ejiofor (AP News)

“It was Great Adventure. It was a roller-coaster ride. I mean, it really was. He had some incredible plays. We were too loose with the ball.”

— Dan Hurley, Head coach, UConn (AP News)

What’s next

The two teams will meet again on February 25, 2026 in Hartford, Connecticut.

The takeaway

St. John's has emerged as a legitimate challenger to UConn's Big East supremacy, proving it can win a high-stakes matchup at Madison Square Garden against the conference's top-ranked team. This victory gives the Red Storm a major confidence boost as they look to overtake the Huskies for the Big East title.