Wednesday night’s game had all of the trappings of a closely-contested battle of heavyweights at the top of the Big East. St. John’s was riding the high of a 13-game winning streak, while UConn was looking for revenge after their defeat to the Johnnies three weeks ago.
What instead transpired inside Hartford’s PeoplesBank Arena was a total demolition of the Red Storm that had to be seen to be believed.
The Huskies had their way for all forty minutes, riding off with a 72-40 walloping over the Johnnies
and taking first place in the Big East with them, in one of the worst offensive performances in program history that St. John’s cannot forget soon enough.
St. John’s recorded their fewest points in a game since a 66-40 blowout to Notre Dame on March 3, 2013, and they tied their third-lowest single-game scoring output in the shot clock era. Their 19.6% overall field goal percentage (11-of-56) was by far the worst from a power conference team in a single game in the 2025-26 season. Next were Rutgers and Mississippi State at 20.0%.
What ultimately defined the Red Storm’s offensive futility was their 17-minute-long field-goal drought to end the game. Zuby Ejiofor’s layup at the 17:28 mark to bring St. John’s within 14 points would be their last bucket of the night, as they would miss their next 24 shot attempts. Altogether in the second half, St. John’s were 2-of-28 (7.1%) and their 9-of-10 performance from the charity stripe allowed them to score more than single-digits in the half.
UConn were the aggressors early, starting out with a 9-2 lead. The Red Storm were able to get within two points after an Oziyah Sellers dunk after he slipped to the basket at the 13:36 mark, but that was the easiest make — and only made basket — St. John’s would get in the following eight minutes. The Red Storm missed their next twelve shots, tumbling into a 21-point hole following a 19-1 run by UConn.
Zuby Ejiofor dominated his first meeting with Tarris Reed, but the roles reversed in Hartford. Reed was untouchable, posting a dominant 20 points on 6-of-10 shooting, eleven rebounds, six blocks, and two steals. Meanwhile, Ejiofor was held to six points on 2-of-5 shooting.
Joson Sanon was the only Red Storm player to score in double-figures, tallying all ten of his points in the final five minutes of the first half. He would finish with 3-of-10 shooting and 2-of-5 from three.
The Red Storm will have three games to get right before their next matchup with the Villanova Wildcats (21-6, 12-4 Big East) on Saturday, February 28. Tip-off from Madison Square Garden is scheduled for 8:00 p.m., and the game can be watched on FOX.
