Red Storm Rising: Pummels No. 10 UConn for 6th BIG EAST Win

February 11, 2011

In another decisive BIG EAST victory, a rising St. John’s pummeled the 10th-ranked University of Connecticut on Feb. 10 at world-famous Madison Square Garden.

The Red Storm victory over the Huskies was “a very compelling argument for St. John’s to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2002,” declared the New York Daily News. It was St. John’s third win over a top 10-ranked team at the Garden this season, and its fourth win over a top-13 team.

According to the New York Times, the game was “another memorable night in Lavinwood”—referring to the Red Storm’s resurgence this season under Head Coach Steve Lavin. On Jan. 3, St. John’s bean 13th-ranked Georgetown; on Jan. 15, 9th-ranked Notre Dame; and on Jan. 30, third-ranked Duke.

The Red Storm dominated the Huskies from the start. Over and over again, St. John’s matchup zone managed to trap the Huskies ball handlers. Senior guard Dwight Hardy scored a career-high 33 points. Senior guard/forward D.J. Kennedy scored 11 rebounds and matched his season high of 20 points. Senior guard Malik Boothe scored a 37-foot three-pointer at the buzzer in the second half.

“There are those few moments—they don’t happen very often—when you are able, even when you’re a coach, to step back and take a deep breath and kind of enjoy as a fan what transpired,” said Coach Lavin.

The Red Storm’s next game is against the University of Cincinnati on Feb. 13. With winners in the classroom as well as the playing courts and fields, St. John’s 16 Division I, BIG EAST men’s and women’s athletic teams reflect St. John’s University’s 141-year tradition of excellence in preparing students for leadership in their professions, communities and world.

Read the full story