St. John’s Dominates UConn in Historic 25-Year Season Sweep, Closing In on Big East Championship!

Nineteen days ago, St. John’s fans erupted in cheers after a thrilling victory over Marquette. They chanted, “We Want UConn!”

On social media, some people raised an eyebrow. After all, UConn had just won two national titles in a row and welcomed back star freshman Liam McNeeley from injury.

But after two more games, the 10th-ranked Johnnies had plenty to celebrate. They defeated UConn 89-75 at a packed Madison Square Garden, marking the first time since 1999-2000 that St. John’s swept their rival. This victory brings them closer to their first outright Big East regular-season title since 1985. If they win against Butler on Wednesday, they’ll clinch at least a share of that title.

Unlike their previous close game in Storrs, this matchup saw St. John’s take charge early. Coach Rick Pitino wanted his team to perform better, and on Sunday they did just that.

All five starters scored in double figures. Kadary Richmond and Zuby Ejiofor each contributed 18 points. Richmond also had four assists, while Ejiofor added nine rebounds and six assists. RJ Luis, despite being a game-time decision, scored 14 points. Deivon Smith rounded out the scoring with 12 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds. As a team, St. John’s shot over 40% from three-point range for the second consecutive game.

On the other hand, UConn struggled with turnovers, committing 18 that led to 24 points for St. John’s. They had a tough time getting into a rhythm, with McNeeley making only two of his 13 shots, and star sophomore Solo Ball managing five out of 13.

St. John’s opened strong, hitting 8 of 16 shots from beyond the arc in the first half while forcing nine UConn turnovers. They went on a 16-2 run and led 50-32 at halftime.

At one point, UConn had six opportunities to score but couldn’t convert. St. John’s even had an eight-point possession, which included a three-pointer and two free throws from Ejiofor following a flagrant foul.

In the second half, St. John’s quickly extended their lead to 22 points. UConn made a push with a series of three-pointers and narrowed the gap to nine. But Richmond and Wilcher stood firm, pushing the lead back to 16 points and keeping the momentum on the side of the Johnnies.