St. John’s Aims to Derail UConn’s Title Hopes at MSG

New York, NY — With only four games remaining in the regular season, St. John’s Red Storm faces a significant test against the University of Connecticut Huskies at Madison Square Garden on Sunday afternoon. The 10th-ranked Red Storm, currently two games clear in the Big East standings, looks to extend their impressive home record against the two-time defending national champions.

The atmosphere at Madison Square Garden is expected to be electric as St. John’s fans prepare to outnumber UConn’s faithful. As junior forward Zuby Ejiofor expressed, “For the most part of the season, it’s always been like a sea of red, Johnnies fans packing MSG, and that’s something that we thrive off of.”

This matchup marks the first time UConn returns to the Big East after rejoining the conference, and it carries weight for both teams. A win for the Red Storm not only means potential progress toward their first outright regular-season title since 1985 but also could effectively halt UConn’s pursuit of a second consecutive conference championship.

Currently, St. John’s sits at 23-4 overall and 14-2 in the conference, having built a cushion over No. 16 Marquette and Creighton. A victory over the Huskies would solidify St. John’s strong position in the league and bolster their NCAA Tournament hopes. “It’s really hard to put into words how excited I am, especially just for the environment,” said sophomore guard Simeon Wilcher.

Coach Rick Pitino emphasized the importance of the fanbase during this pivotal game. “They’re gonna show out, believe me,” he stated, noting that over 16,000 tickets had already been sold for the upcoming game. “Connecticut’s the Kentucky of the East. They travel great.”

Despite their strong performance this season, St. John’s may be without leading scorer RJ Luis, who is recovering from a pulled groin. Luis, who averages 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game, missed the last contest against DePaul but was able to practice leading up to the game against UConn. Pitino remains hopeful regarding Luis’s participation against their rivals.

The Red Storm previously met UConn on February 7 in a thrilling contest in Storrs, Connecticut. St. John’s managed to rally from a 14-point deficit, showcasing their tenacious defense that limited UConn to just 32 points over the final 31 minutes of play.

After enduring a challenging month, the Red Storm has responded well, losing only once in their five most recent games. As Ejiofor pointed out, “We know exactly what’s at stake. We just got to get it done, whatever it takes.”

The matchup between St. John’s and UConn will also mark a crucial turning point in the struggle for conference dominance. St. John's has remained undefeated at home this season, boasting a perfect 16-0 record at Madison Square Garden, while the Huskies have a strong history of success in New York City.

With playoff implications lying heavy in the air, fans can expect a high-energy battle when the two teams clash on Sunday.