St. John's upsets No. 3 UConn to snap Huskies' 18-game win streak

The No. 22 Red Storm defeated the Big East powerhouse Huskies 81-72 at Madison Square Garden

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

In a Big East heavyweight matchup at Madison Square Garden, the No. 22 St. John's Red Storm defeated the No. 3 UConn Huskies 81-72, snapping UConn's 18-game win streak. The Red Storm used a strong defensive effort, forcing 15 UConn turnovers and outscoring the Huskies 42-22 in the paint, to earn the upset victory.

Why it matters

This is a significant win for St. John's, as it marks their highest-ranked victory since 2021 and their first three-game winning streak against UConn since the 1999-2000 season. The Red Storm's statement win puts them within a half-game of first place in the Big East standings and should boost their NCAA Tournament seeding.

The details

St. John's used a 16-6 run to start the second half to claim a 10-point lead, which they maintained for most of the game. UConn's Silas Demary Jr. had a season-high 9 turnovers, and the Huskies' foul trouble allowed St. John's to get to the line 31 times compared to just 12 for UConn. Zuby Ejiofor led the Red Storm with 21 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 blocks, and 2 steals.

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

The players

Rick Pitino

The head coach of the St. John's Red Storm men's basketball team.

Dan Hurley

The head coach of the UConn Huskies men's basketball team.

Zuby Ejiofor

The preseason Big East Player of the Year, who finished the game with 21 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 blocks, and 2 steals for St. John's.

Silas Demary Jr.

The UConn point guard who had a season-high 9 turnovers in the game.

Alex Karaban

A UConn forward who expressed disappointment in the team's performance and loss.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I thought The Garden was as good as I've seen it.”

— Rick Pitino, St. John's head coach (usatoday.com)

“As hard a game as we've had to play all year.”

— Dan Hurley, UConn head coach (usatoday.com)

“We work too hard to play like that and just lose. We invested too much time to lose, and it's a hard feeling. It's not an easy feeling to sit with right now.”

— Alex Karaban, UConn forward (usatoday.com)

What’s next

St. John's will host Xavier at Madison Square Garden on Monday, February 10, while UConn will look to bounce back when they host the Huskies' rematch against St. John's on Wednesday, February 25.

The takeaway

This upset win over the No. 3 team in the country shows that St. John's is a legitimate contender in the Big East and a team to watch heading into the NCAA Tournament. Their physical, defensive-minded style of play could make them a tough out for any opponent.