Its meeting three weeks ago inside Madison Square Garden was the biggest game of the season in the Big East but the rematch in Hartford on Wednesday night might be more impactful.
No. 15 St. John’s and No. 6 UConn will meet with a lot on the line inside People’s Bank Arena – primarily the Big East regular season title.
After the Huskies were stunned by Creighton last week, the Red Storm got the inside track to repeat as league champions. While a win wouldn’t clinch anything for the Johnnies, everybody knows that a St. John’s win would be nearly insurmountable.
“It would mean everything,” Bryce Hopkins said on Tuesday afternoon about St. John’s winning the regular season title in the conference. “That was our goal at the start of the season and we’re in a good position right now.”
Hopkins has played a major role in the 13-game winning streak for St. John’s, playing inspired basketball. In the Red Storm’s win over UConn, he went for 14 points and six rebounds but his play over the last two games has been his best of the season.
“That’s going to be a big game to figure out who’s going to probably win the conference, so it would mean a lot to me to win the Big East Conference,” he continued. “I haven’t done it yet and I hope this year is going to be the year.”
In wins over Marquette and Creighton Hopkins averaged 19.0 points and 10.0 rebounds on 58.3-percent shooting.
However, St. John’s has shot much better on the road than it has at home this season – something they hope continues against the Huskies.
“I have my theories, and I’d rather not say it, but we shoot better on the road,” Rick Pitino said.
He’s expecting to have one of his better shooters, Ian Jackson, back after missing Saturday’s win with an ankle sprain. Jackson practiced this week but it’s yet to be determined if he will start.
“I think that helps with having a veteran group,” Bryce Hopkins added about the team’s performance away from home.