UConn and St. John’s Men’s Basketball Meet Up for Big East Final: What It Means for Both Sides
The Huskies and Red Storm will meet for the third time this season for the Big East Championship. The Red Storm defeated Seton Hall yesterday, 78-68, and are hoping to continue their Big East success against the Huskies. As for Dan Hurley’s squad, they took down Georgetown 67-51 last night, led by freshman Braylon Mullins, scoring 21 points. The two squads split their regular-season meetings, with both winning their home games. The Red Storm won 81-71 in the first meeting and then got blown out a few weeks ago, 72-40 at PeoplesBank Arena.
The Red Storm are 27-6 this season and are projected as a fifth seed when it comes to March. Most of their losses came near the beginning of the season, but they have since been on a winning streak. In their final 17 regular season games, St. John’s has gone 16-1, with the only loss being their blowout loss to the Huskies. This restored hope for UConn and put them in top contention for the final one-seed entering the tournament. The Huskies would lose their final game of the season to Marquette, putting them at a two-seed entering March. That loss also gave St. John’s the regular season crown as they now fight for the Big East Championship.
The Huskies have taken down Xavier and Georgetown in the tournament and are hoping to finish it off with a win against Big East rival St. John’s. The Johnnies won the tournament last year and secured a two-seed in March last season. The Huskies are hoping to spoil their repeat this season and gain momentum going into March. The Huskies have shown some inconsistencies this season and are trying to get hot at just the right time. When it comes to the madness, consistency and offensive power are the keys to making it far. The Huskies have players such as Mullins, Solomon Ball, and Alex Karaban, who are all capable of taking big shots in those big games. They will need a win tonight in hopes of keeping a consistent streak before the tournament. Their shaky offense has been one of their biggest downfalls, along with getting in foul trouble early. For instance, Ball found himself on the bench in last night's first half due to foul trouble. For the Huskies to have the best chances to advance and win, they need their full roster at full strength. Their main advantage is their depth and ability to bring in players who can both go on scoring runs and let their starters rest.
The two programs will tip off at 6:30 p.m. EDT tonight for the Big East Championship. Both teams are going for the crown, along with a boost before March Madness. A win for the Huskies could give them the final one-seed, depending on other tournament outcomes. As for St. John's, a Big East crown could boost its seeding from fifth to third. A lot will be on the line for both squads as they battle in one of the scrappiest conferences in the country. The Big East Championship is up next.
