After getting little-brothered three times last season by the eventual champion UConn Huskies, Rick Pitino and No. 10 St. John’s seized control of the rivalry this year. With an emphatic 89-75 win on Sunday afternoon at Madison Square Garden, the Red Storm completed their first season sweep of the defending champs since 1999-2000.
The triumph was the latest installment of Pitino’s magical second season at the helm, as the Hall of Famer has positioned his squad to earn its first Big East regular season title in 33 years.
“Winning the Big East would mean a lot,” Pitino said postgame.
Spearheading the Red Storm’s all-around effort was Kadary Richmond, continuing his sensational fifth year while fighting through a slew of injuries, per Pitino. Richmond tallied 18 points and four assists despite seeing limited action in the first half due to foul trouble.
Once the Seton Hall transfer picked up an early second foul, the offensive facilitating responsibilities fell to Deivon Smith. The high-flying 6-foot guard continued to be an X-factor since returning from his own injury struggles, adding 12 points and a game-high eight assists through 31 minutes of action.
“I think once Deivon got healthy, our offense picked up. It’s not about shooting, it’s about the type of shots that you get,” Pitino said. “And he got everybody great shots in the first half.”
Following the extreme hype built up by the rival fanbases online — and at Madison Square Garden — the bout quickly turned into a rout late in the opening frame.
Despite an inconsistent showing from an injury-hindered RJ Luis Jr., Smith, Zuby Ejiofor and Aaron Scott led a 19-4 run to essentially end the game through just 15 minutes of play. Once St. John’s scored eight points on a single possession — a Luis three-pointer, Ejiofor free throws after a Samson Johnson flagrant and a Scott three-pointer on the extra possession — the Red Storm had officially completed the season sweep.
While Hurley’s group did rally, eventually trimming the once-18-point advantage to just nine early in the second half, the push wouldn’t be anywhere near enough. Simeon Wilcher made sure of that.
The sophomore guard logged just 32 seconds through the contest’s opening 20 minutes but filled the role of closer as Richmond received some much-needed rest down the stretch. Working in the mid-range, he scored three paramount baskets late in the ballgame before rejecting a Hassan Diarra layup attempt.
However, Wilcher was the lone Johnnie to play more than eight minutes and not tally double-digits in the scoring column. All five starters posted double figures, none more efficient than Ejiofor.
The Red Storm’s co-captain turned in 18 points, nine rebounds, six assists and two monstrous putback dunks on a ridiculous 83% clip from the field. He also converted eight of his nine free-throw attempts, an area which the team has struggled as a whole this season.
With Spike Lee sitting courtside, St. John’s delivered one of its most complete performances of the 2024-25 season before a packed crowd of 19,812 fans.
New York royalty Spike Lee in attendance for #sjubb vs. UConn. pic.twitter.com/gCAXEXEpmj
— Torch Sports (@TorchSports) February 23, 2025
“We want this Big East Crown badly, not only for the players but for the fans who came back like I never expected,” Pitino said.
Now 24-4 and 15-2 in conference play, the Johnnies control their own destiny. The path to the Big East regular season title is clear, starting with Wednesday night’s 9 p.m. road matchup against Butler.
To access the final box score from the St. John’s win over UConn, click here.
