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St. John's Outlasts Xavier in OT for 10th Straight, Pitino Reaches No. 3 With 904th

The overtime result at Madison Square Garden pulls St. John's level with UConn in the Big East race.

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Men's College Hoops Spotlight: St. John's Getting Hot at Just the Right Time
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Feb 6, 2026; New York, New York, USA; St. John's Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino argues with an official in the first half against the UConn Huskies at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Overview

  • Zuby Ejiofor scored 25 points, including six in overtime, while Bryce Hopkins added 19 and Dylan Darling 16 off the bench, with Oziyah Sellers tipping in the tying bucket to force OT.
  • The Red Storm improved to 19-5 (12-1 Big East), drawing even with UConn for the conference lead after a stretch that includes a win over the Huskies at MSG.
  • Pitino’s 904 on-court victories include 123 wins vacated by the NCAA from his Louisville tenure, leaving his officially recognized total lower.
  • Rick Pitino improved to 5-1 in head-to-head meetings with his son Richard and said he hopes to avoid Xavier in the Big East Tournament, praising Richard’s coaching.
  • St. John’s surge has been fueled by better defense and possession margin, with turnover margin up to plus-4.7 and defensive rebounding rates markedly improved during the 10-game streak.