The UConn men's basketball team put on a defensive clinic against St. John's, keeping their hopes alive for an outright Big East title. Coming off a stellar defensive performance against Villanova, the Huskies were determined to maintain their momentum.
In the first half, UConn's defense was relentless, holding St. John's scoreless for over seven minutes. Despite a brief rally from the Red Storm, they managed just a 32 percent shooting rate from the field.
The second half was a defensive masterpiece for the Huskies. St.
John's missed their last 24 field goal attempts, scoring only 14 points, as UConn cruised to a commanding 72-40 victory. This performance ranks among the best in UConn's storied history.
St. John's 19.6% field goal percentage is the third-lowest ever recorded against the Huskies, trailing only behind games against New Hampshire in 1990 and Butler in the 2011 national championship.
For context, here's how it stacks up:
- 15.4% vs. New Hampshire (12/12/90)
- 18.8% vs. Butler (4/4/11)
- 19.6% vs. St.
John's (2/25/26)
- 20.3% vs.
Harvard (12/28/88)
- 21.3% vs.
Coppin State (12/27/06)
This was the lowest shooting percentage allowed by UConn in a conference game. The second-half effort, allowing just 14 points, ties for fourth-best in program history, alongside games against South Florida in 2014 and 2015. The all-time record remains an 11-point half against Providence in 2002.
Despite St. John's scoring just 10 points in the second half until the final moments, a couple of late free throws prevented UConn from setting a new record.
The Huskies' defensive prowess was further highlighted by the game's pace. With just 58 offensive possessions, it marked the fewest in any UConn regular season game since 2017.
This is impressive considering St. John's typically plays at a much faster pace, averaging nearly 70 possessions per game.
As they gear up for the NCAA Tournament, Wednesday's performance is reminiscent of UConn's legendary defensive displays in March Madness. With an adjusted defensive rating of 67.1, it was the program's best in almost two years, recalling their dominant run against Illinois in the Elite Eight.
UConn aims to maintain this momentum as they pursue the Big East title. They'll celebrate Senior Day against Seton Hall at Gampel Pavilion, before wrapping up the regular season against Marquette in Wisconsin.