UConn Slides to No. 6 After Loss to St. John’s; Huskies Eye Bounce-Back Against Butler
UConn’s impressive run hit a bump Friday night, and the latest AP Top 25 poll reflects it. After falling to St.
John’s, the Huskies dropped three spots to No. 6-marking their lowest ranking of the season. That loss snapped an 18-game win streak and served as their first Big East defeat of the year.
It wasn’t just a loss-it was a statement game from St. John’s.
The Red Storm, ranked No. 22 at the time, came out swinging and handed UConn an 81-72 defeat. The Huskies hadn’t tasted defeat since November, when they narrowly lost to Arizona.
But this one stung a little more, given the stakes and the conference implications.
St. John’s Surges, Arizona Holds Firm
St. John’s didn’t just win-they made it count in the polls.
The Red Storm leapt five spots to No. 17, riding the momentum of a signature win. Meanwhile, Arizona continues to hold tight at No. 1, a spot they’ve owned since early December.
Michigan, Houston, Duke, and Iowa State round out the top five.
Hurley Tips His Cap to St. John’s
Postgame, UConn head coach Dan Hurley didn’t make excuses. He gave St. John’s full credit for the way they executed.
“I credit St. John’s.
I think, you know, it was the exact type of game we thought it was going to be-just as hard a game as we’ve had to play this year,” Hurley said. “In the end, it was always going to come down to the rebounding piece and just being able to take care of that.”
UConn actually shot the ball well-54% from the field and 9-for-19 from beyond the arc. But the 15 turnovers were costly, and in a game this tight, those extra possessions mattered.
Next Up: Butler in Chicago
The Huskies don’t have much time to dwell on the loss. They’ll be back in action Wednesday against Butler in Chicago.
On paper, it’s a matchup that favors UConn. The Bulldogs are 13-11 overall and just 4-9 in Big East play, while UConn sits at 12-1 in the conference.
These two already met earlier in the season, and UConn handled business in that one. Back on Dec. 16 in Hartford, the Huskies rolled to a 79-60 win behind a breakout performance from Solo Ball, who dropped 26 points on 8-of-14 shooting. Tarris Reed Jr. added 16, Braylon Mullins chipped in 12, and Jayden Ross came off the bench with 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
If UConn can clean up the turnovers and maintain that shooting efficiency, they should be in good shape to get back on track.
Looking Ahead: The Final Stretch
After Butler, UConn enters the home stretch of Big East play with six games left before the conference tournament. Here’s what’s on deck:
- Feb. 14: vs. Georgetown
- Feb. 18: vs. Creighton
- Feb. 21: at Villanova
- Feb. 25: vs.
St. John’s (rematch circled in red ink)
- Feb. 28: vs. Seton Hall
- March 7: at Marquette
That Feb. 25 rematch against St. John’s?
You can bet the Huskies have that one circled. Not only will it be a chance to avenge Friday’s loss, but it could also carry major seeding implications for the Big East Tournament.
Speaking of the tournament, it runs March 11-14 at Madison Square Garden-home turf for St. John’s. The top five seeds get a bye straight into the quarterfinals, so every game from here on out matters.
St. John’s enters as the defending tournament champs, while UConn and Georgetown share the all-time lead with eight Big East titles apiece.
AP Top 25 Snapshot (Men’s)
- Arizona (23-0)
- Michigan (22-1)
- Houston (23-2)
- Duke (23-2)
- Iowa State (21-2)
- UConn (22-2)
- Nebraska (21-2)
- Illinois (20-4)
- Kansas (18-5)
- Michigan State (20-4)
- North Carolina (19-4)
- Gonzaga (23-2)
- Purdue (19-4)
- Florida (17-6)
- Virginia (20-3)
- Texas Tech (17-6)
- St.
John’s (18-5)
18.
Saint Louis (23-1)
19.
Vanderbilt (19-4)
20.
Clemson (20-4)
21.
Arkansas (17-6)
22.
BYU (17-6)
23.
Miami (Ohio) (24-0)
24.
Louisville (17-6)
25.
Kentucky (17-7)
Final Word
UConn’s stumble against St. John’s is a reminder that even the nation’s elite can get caught off guard in the grind of conference play.
But the Huskies are still very much in control of their destiny. With a deep, talented roster and a proven coach in Dan Hurley, they have the tools to regroup-and the schedule to prove they belong back in the top five.
The next few weeks will be telling. March is coming fast.