No. 22 St. John's knocks off No. 3 UConn for 9th straight win

Zuby Ejiofor's double-double powers Red Storm to upset victory over Huskies at Madison Square Garden

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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Zuby Ejiofor recorded 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists as No. 22 St. John's defeated No. 3 UConn 81-72 at Madison Square Garden, extending the Red Storm's winning streak to 9 games. The win marked St. John's first victory over a top-3 team at MSG since 2011 and their third straight over the Huskies, a feat they last accomplished in the 1999-2000 season.

Why it matters

This victory over the highly ranked Huskies boosts St. John's NCAA Tournament resume and keeps them in contention for the Big East regular season title, while snapping UConn's 18-game winning streak and dealing a setback to their conference championship aspirations.

The details

Ejiofor dominated the paint, exploiting his matchup with UConn's Tarris Reed Jr. to post his fifth double-double of the season. St. John's used a 15-4 run in the second half to build a double-digit lead, which they were able to protect down the stretch despite a late UConn comeback attempt. The Red Storm shot 50% from the field and got key contributions from Dillon Mitchell (15 points) and Bryce Hopkins (14 points) to hand coach Rick Pitino his 903rd career win, tying him for third most all-time.

  • The game was played on Friday, February 7, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
  • St. John's last defeated a top-3 team at MSG on January 30, 2011 when they beat No. 3 Duke.

The players

Zuby Ejiofor

A senior center for St. John's who recorded a double-double with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists in the win.

Tarris Reed Jr.

A UConn player who was exploited in the paint by Ejiofor.

Dillon Mitchell

A St. John's player who scored 15 points in the victory.

Bryce Hopkins

A St. John's player who contributed 14 points to the win.

Rick Pitino

The head coach of St. John's who earned his 903rd career win, tying him for third most all-time.

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What’s next

St. John's will look to build on this signature win as they continue their pursuit of the Big East regular season title, while UConn will aim to rebound from their first conference loss of the season.

The takeaway

This upset victory over the highly ranked Huskies solidifies St. John's status as a legitimate contender in the Big East and boosts their NCAA Tournament resume, while also highlighting the Red Storm's ability to win big games at the iconic Madison Square Garden.