UConn Gets Revenge On St. John's

 

Braylon Mullins celebrates draining a three-pointer. @UConnMBB.

The Connecticut Huskies were stunned at Madison Square Garden on February 6 when the St. John's Red Storm ended their 18-game winning streak.

The Huskies got their revenge in the rematch 19 days later, as they beat the Red Storm, 72-40, on Wednesday night in Hartford to finish off St. John's 13-game winning streak.

With the win, No. 6 UConn reclaims the top spot in the Big East as they improve to 16-2 in conference play and 26-3 overall, while No. 15 St. John's drops to 15-2 in the Big East and an overall mark of 22-6.

It was St. John's first loss in 49 days, since they fell to Providence at The Garden on January 3.

Connecticut opened the game on a 9-2 spurt before the Red Storm pulled within two, at 13-11, on an Oziyah Sellers dunk at the 13:36 mark of the first half.

That was the last point St. John's would score for six minutes and 19 seconds, in which Connecticut went on an 18-0 run to take a 31-13 lead.

The closest the Red Storm could get back to was within 14 points, at 38-24, and UConn took a 41-26 edge into halftime.

Zuby Ejiofor opened the second half with a three-pointer and then a layup at the 17:28 mark that made it 45-31 Connecticut at 17:28.

It would feel like they would be stuck on 31 forever, like a speedometer on an old car that wouldn't move.

Connecticut went on a 16-0 run to take a 30-point lead, at 61-31, and the Red Storm would not score again until the 6:41 mark - 10 minutes and 47 seconds since Ejiofor's layup - until they would score again when Bryce Hopkins hit the second of two free throws.

The lead got as many as 36 points - 72-36 - with 1:37 left before the Huskies called off the dogs and St. John's scored the final four points of the game.

UConn was led by Tarris Reed Jr., who had 20 points on 9-14 shooting, with 11 rebounds to give him a double-double, along with six blocks, three assists, and two steals.

Alex Karaban had 14 points on 6-13 from the field, including 2-7 on three-pointers, with five rebounds, two assists, and a block. Solo Ball had 11 points (4-7 FT, 2-5 threes), eight rebounds, five assists, and a steal. Braylon Mullins had nine points (3-9 FT, 3-8 threes), three rebounds, three assists, and a steal.

St. John's was led by their only player to crack double-figures, Joson Sanon, who had 10 points on 3-10 shooting and 2-5 from the three-point line, with one rebound.

The Red Storm were held to 20 percent, or 11-56, from the field, and they shot a tad better from the three-point line, 25%, or 5-20.