A heavyweight bout at the World’s Greatest Arena — the two “top dogs” of the Big East will face off in their first contest of the season. St. John’s and UConn provided fireworks last season in their two meetings, with the Red Storm bringing out the brooms for the first time since the 1999-2000 season, when the Johnnies also downed the Huskies 58-57 to take the Big East Tournament.
“It’s a big reason why I came here,” said Dillon Mitchell ahead of UConn. “Playing in front of a crowd like this, you come here to play this type of competition — you don’t duck it. I’m looking forward to it.”
UConn enters Madison Square Garden as one of the best teams in the country, holding a 22–1 record, with its only loss coming at the hands of No. 1 Arizona, a game in which the Huskies were missing star freshman Braylon Mullins and starting center Tarris Reed Jr.
One of the biggest strengths for Connecticut has been its deadly shooting, leading its 25th-ranked offense — right in front of St. John’s at No. 26 on KenPom. The Huskies are powered by the shooting of star guard Solo Ball, who is averaging 14 points per game on six attempts from beyond the arc per game.
Over the last three contests, the Huskies have made 35 of their 53 attempted 3-pointers (45.1%), a much more consistent stretch of play compared to their 36% shooting percentage on the season. However, the opponent level isn’t viewed differently by St. John’s, as they feel it’s just another game.
“I don’t buy into hype,” Rick Pitino said on the hype of playing a team like UConn. “It’s great for the fans, but we’re not doing anything different than we did for DePaul.”
Although UConn currently holds the third-longest win streak in the country at 18 games, its play in Big East contests has been concerning. Games against teams like Georgetown and Providence have gone down to the wire, with the Huskies barely pulling away with wins. However, over the last two contests, they have shown improvement, capping off blowout victories against Creighton and Xavier.
It will be a tough battle for St. John’s, taking on a physical opponent on both ends of the court, but it’s one that Pitino feels ready for.
“We’re going to find out if we can beat them,” Pitino said. “This is a great group of guys that gives me everything I need. I don’t have a single complaint.”
There are many moving parts that will be in place in order to conquer the beast of the east. Here are three key ways St. John’s can successfully knock off No. 3 UConn.
Three ways to successfully defeat UConn
Sadiku Ibine Ayo minutes
Sadiku Ibine Ayo has had a very limited role as a senior. The co-captain is averaging nine minutes per game, providing depth for St. John’s off the bench, particularly on the defensive end.
Ibine Ayo’s best contest came against Marquette on Jan. 13, when he appeared for a season-high 18 minutes, tallying three steals and six rebounds.
There’s a clear reason for his usage in a game, especially against a high-powered offensive opponent that will require all five players on the court to play defense at the highest possible level. Another player who could potentially see a rise in minutes is Kelvin Odih, the four-star freshman whose defense has been visible throughout the season during his minimal role. Odih’s defense provides a more physical approach, with the skill to potentially block any taken shot.
Physical play: Force UConn into fouls
No matter the contest, St. John’s has proven time and time again its ability to force fouls from opponents, which has allowed it to stay afloat during games.
Dating back to the Alabama game, the Red Storm, specifically Zuby Ejiofor, forced his way to the free-throw line, going 7 of 10 from the charity stripe while the team scored 28 of its 96 total points at the line. The ability to force fouls put the Crimson Tide in consistent foul trouble, with star Labaron Philon Jr. picking up four fouls and top guard Aden Holloway fouling out.
Again, against Iowa State, the Johnnies survived the contest due to their ability to force fouls, scoring 23 of their 82 points from the line while also forcing six different players to commit three fouls.
The Huskies enter the contest averaging 20 fouls per game, with Reed serving as a consistent player who finds himself in foul trouble. If the Red Storm can force UConn’s talent into early foul trouble, it could provide a much-needed boost.
Come out the gates hot
Easier said than done, St. John’s isn’t exactly the type of team to come out of the gates swinging.
This season, St. John’s is averaging 40 points per game in the first half, 28th in the country. However, it’s been apparent that the Red Storm are showing shades of their 2024-25 self — relying on heavy-loaded second-half play.
However, to the Johnnies’ advantage, UConn hasn’t exactly been a workhorse through the first 20 minutes of play, averaging a 42nd-best 39 points in the first half.
If the Red Storm can enter the game with a strong start, there’s a pretty good chance they’ll be victorious. In the blowout home win over Butler on Jan. 28, St. John’s jumped out to a 10-2 lead, never looking back in a 92-70 victory. Pitino’s bunch went 36 of 64 from the field while shooting 45% (9 of 20) from beyond the arc.
