New York, NY—-St. John’s delivered a commanding performance Sunday afternoon, defeating UConn 89-75 before a crowd of 19,812 at Madison Square Garden. Kadary Richmond and Zuby Ejiofor led the way for the Red Storm, each scoring 18 points.
The Johnnies set the tone early, taking a 50-32 lead at halftime while shooting 45% (15-of-33) from the field and an impressive 50% (8-of-16) from beyond the arc. Devion Smith added 10 points, while Aaron Scott and RJ Luis chipped in nine each.
UConn struggled with ball control, turning the ball over nine times in the first half.
With this victory, St. John’s remains undefeated at home, improving to a perfect 17-0 record.
Historic Sweep and Big East Title Aspirations
Sunday’s win marked St. John’s first regular-season sweep of UConn in 25 years and moved the Red Storm closer to their first outright Big East regular-season title in four decades. Despite the triumph, head coach Rick Pitino voiced concerns about Richmond’s health.
“Kadary Richmond is more injured than any player I’ve coached right now, and he fights through it,” Pitino said. He’s dealing with double groin pulls and other issues, but he played hard. He needs rest, but he showed up tonight and was brilliant.”
St. John’s (22-5, 13-3 Big East) now holds a two-game lead in the loss column atop the Big East standings with three games remaining. Pitino acknowledged that Richmond might have to sit out a game to recover.
“He shouldn’t have played tonight. He’s really hurting,” Pitino admitted. “This is not an exaggeration.”
Richmond’s Growth Recognized
UConn head coach Dan Hurley praised Richmond’s evolution as a player, noting his experience and leadership.
“Richmond is fully mature now,” Hurley said. “He’s in his fifth year, plus his time at Brewster Academy. He’s a grown man on the court. St. John’s is getting the most out of him in a critical year for his NBA aspirations. His maturity has really changed.”
Defense and Hot Shooting Propel Red Storm
St. John’s, known for its defense and offensive rebounding, dominated in those areas again, converting 18 UConn turnovers into 24 points and scoring 23 second-chance points. However, it was their first-half three-point shooting that gave them the decisive edge.
The Red Storm entered the game as the worst three-point shooting team in the Big East and among the lowest-ranked in Division I, but they defied expectations by hitting 8-of-16 from deep in the first half.
“If they shoot like that from the perimeter, they’ll be a problem for anyone,” Hurley admitted.
UConn’s Offensive Struggles
UConn (18-9, 10-6 Big East) struggled offensively, turning the ball over 18 times—after coughing it up 22 times in their previous matchup with St. John’s. Freshman standout Liam McNeeley managed just 14 points on 2-of-13 shooting, while sophomore star Solo Ball had a tough night as well, going 5-for-13.
St. John’s defensive intensity was on full display, racking up 11 blocks and 11 steals to seal a dominant victory.
With just three games remaining in the regular season, St. John’s is in prime position for a historic Big East title run—if they can keep up the momentum and manage Richmond’s health.
