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

Red Storm make Big East statement with victory 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 victory moved St. John's within a half-game of first-place UConn in the conference standings.

Why it matters

This game was a crucial early-season showdown between the top two teams in the Big East, with St. John's proving it can challenge UConn's dominance in the conference. The win also tied Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino for third place on the Division I career wins list with 903 victories.

The details

St. John's jumped out to a 55-45 lead early in the second half, but UConn responded with a 10-0 run to make it a one-point game. However, the Red Storm maintained their slim lead and pulled away late with a 3-pointer from Dylan Darling and a basket from Ejiofor. UConn shot 55% from the field but 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.
  • St. John's and UConn will meet again on February 25, 2026 in Hartford, Connecticut.

The players

Zuby Ejiofor

A senior forward for St. John's who had 21 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in the win. He was the Big East preseason player of the year.

Rick Pitino

The Hall of Fame head coach of St. John's, who tied Roy Williams for third place on the Division I career wins list with 903 victories.

Silas Demary Jr.

The junior point guard for UConn, who had 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists but also committed nine of the team's 15 turnovers.

Dan Hurley

The head coach of UConn, who said his team was "too loose with the ball" and that the St. John's frontcourt was "built for Big East games."

Alex Karaban

A UConn player who scored 17 points 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, Head Coach, St. John's (newser.com)

“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, Senior Forward, St. John's (newser.com)

“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 (newser.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This game highlighted the growing parity in the Big East, with St. John's emerging as a legitimate challenger to UConn's conference dominance. The win also cemented Rick Pitino's legacy as one of the all-time great coaches in Division I history.