Imagine being one of the thousands who will be in attendance for what could be the most electric St. John’s women’s basketball game to date. With one broad question regarding the growth of women’s sports, St. John’s Athletic Director Ed Kull dropped much-anticipated news surrounding the women’s basketball program, announcing that their matchup against UConn will be held at Madison Square Garden on March 1.
Kull, who has been the Athletic Director of St. John’s since 2024, announced the decision on Nov. 7 in an interview with WRED-TV, ending speculation regarding the location of the matchup against the Huskies.
It was an announcement hypothesized by many, yet nobody expected Kull to break the news at that moment. He stated without hesitation, “On March 1st, we are working towards having our women’s basketball team play the UConn Huskies, yes, the reigning national champions, number one in the country, at Madison Square Garden.”
In doing so, the former St. John’s graduate Kull has revived the excitement surrounding the Red Storm women’s basketball team. The Johnnies appeared at The Garden last year, leaving with a victory against Butler, but nothing compares to facing the most accomplished women’s basketball program ever inside “The World’s Most Famous Arena.”
Kull spoke optimistically about the decision when WRED-TV reporter Luis Barrett asked him about plans to support the women’s games moving ahead. “We’re partnering up with the Big East Conference, trying to get them behind it to also support women’s basketball,” he said. “A little bit of a women’s sports day with our national TV partner that will pick up the broadcast as well.”
St. John’s women’s basketball has been intriguing to begin the season. After trailing by nine with under seven minutes to play, the Red Storm would come back to beat Quinnipiac. Additionally, they blew out Yale 88-60 on Nov. 14, which included lead guard Brooke Moore recording 16 points.
Only Skye Owen and Jailah Donald were a part of the 2023 Johnnies that last took down the Huskies. That same year was also the last time head coach Joe Tartamella led the program to the NCAA tournament.
Since that 2023 matchup, coach Tartamella has lost five straight games against UConn Hall of Fame coach Geno Auriemma and the Huskies, most recently losing by a margin of 31 points. Auriemma is coming off his 12th national title, not to mention star player Azzi Fudd returning for her final season, and was named a part of the Naismith Women’s Player of the Year Trophy Watch List.
A matchup with the Huskies on Jan. 7 in Hartford will be a valuable point of reference for Tartmella’s team before eventually rematching in The Garden on March 1st.
In the meantime, fans can look forward to seeing the Red Storm women continue on as a team that likes to push the pace and create points off turnovers, most notably 28 created against Yale. If the St. John’s women have any hope in beating a supreme UConn squad, they must flourish in those departments to continue the season, especially if attempting to keep up with a Huskies team that averages 17.7 fastbreak points per game so far this season.
Will St. John’s be able to create the momentum necessary for conquering a superior UConn team inside Madison Square Garden? Only time will tell. The Red Storm will face their toughest opponent yet when they host No. 20 Oklahoma State this Wednesday, Nov. 19 at Carnesseca Arena.