STORRS, Conn. — RJ Luis Jr. scored six of his 21 points in the final 2:16 to help No. 12 St. John’s extend its winning streak to 10 games with a 68-62 comeback victory over No. 19 UConn on Friday night.
St. John’s 10-game conference win streak is its longest since a 14-game streak during the 1984-85 season, according to ESPN research. That season was also the last time the Red Storm reached the Final Four.
UConn led by as many as 14 points, and with the loss, tied its second-largest blown lead since Dan Hurley took over as head coach in 2018-19, according to ESPN research.
It also marked the fifth time this year St. John’s has come back from a double-digit deficit to win, tied for the most in the nation with five other teams.
St. John’s coach Rick Pitino said the team wasn’t using the game to prove itself.
“We’re the 11th-ranked team in the country. I don’t think we have to show anybody,” Pitino said. “We’re highly ranked. We’re No. 1 in the Big East. We play great basketball. We’re out to win a game, not out to show people how good we are. We’re the 11th- or 12th-ranked team in the country. I don’t think there’s any doubters.”
Kadary Richmond scored all 13 of his points in the second half and Simeon Wilcher added 12 for St. John’s (21-3, 12-1 Big East).
Liam McNeeley had 18 points for UConn (16-7, 8-4). Solo Ball had 13 points, while Tarris Reed Jr. had 12 points and 15 rebounds.
McNeeley, who missed the previous eight games with an ankle injury, had four points in a 6-0 run by UConn to put the Huskies up by six with 11:16 left in the second half. The Huskies couldn’t build on it as St. John’s regained the lead on back-to-back jumpers by Luis and Richmond.
Ben Gordon, who played for the Huskies from 2001 to 2004 and was a member of a national championship team in his junior season, was inducted into the Huskies of Honor at halftime.
St. John’s: The Red Storm won despite missing 11 shots in a row during one stretch in the second half.
UConn: Ball and Jaylin Stewart got off to impressive shooting starts, but failed to score in the second half after combining for 22 points in the first half.
With UConn leading by four, Richmond had a pair of baskets during a 6-0 run to take the lead. The Red Storm would score 12 points in a row.
There were 20 points scored off turnovers, and 18 were scored by St. John’s.
St. John’s: Plays at Villanova on Wednesday.
UConn: At Creighton on Tuesday.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
