UConn has reclaimed its position at the top of the Big East standings following a decisive victory over St. John’s, effectively ending the Red Storm’s impressive 13-game winning streak. The game, held on Tuesday night, resulted in a stunning score of 72-40, showcasing UConn’s dominance throughout the match.
St. John’s struggled significantly, managing only 11 field goals in the entire game. Their shooting woes were highlighted by a grim 0-for-12 stretch in the first half and a staggering 24 consecutive missed field goal attempts to close out the game. The team’s overall shooting percentage plummeted to just 19.6%, a performance that left their coach, Rick Pitino, in disbelief. “Give [UConn] all the credit,” he remarked. “They played a great game. That’s probably only happened to me two times in my career.”
With this victory, UConn improved its season record to 26-3, maintaining a 16-2 mark in conference play, while St. John’s fell to 22-6 overall and 15-2 in the Big East. Both teams are expected to remain competitive in their remaining regular-season games, and the possibility of a shared championship with 18-2 league records looms large, contingent on how they perform in the upcoming matches.
The triumph has bolstered UConn’s rankings significantly, positioning them at No. 10 in the NET, No. 9 at KenPom.com, No. 8 at BartTorvik.com, and an impressive No. 6 in CBS Sports’ updated Top 25 And 1 rankings. In doing so, they inadvertently caused Houston, Purdue, and Nebraska to drop one position each.
Looking ahead, it seems likely that UConn and St. John’s will secure the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds for the upcoming Big East Tournament. A potential rematch is anticipated, with both teams eyeing a showdown for the championship on March 14 at Madison Square Garden. This thrilling prospect keeps fans excited about the remaining stretch of the season.