New Headline: St. John's Men Claim Big East Crown as Exciting Final Showcases Dominance!
The Red Storm defended their tournament crown in commanding fashion
Mar 14, 2026; New York, NY, USA; St. John's Red Storm forward Zuby Ejiofor (24) reacts in the closing moments of the second half of the men's Big East Conference Tournament Championship against the Connecticut Huskies at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images Rick Pitino’s Red Storm revival has entered uncharted territory.
For the first time in program history, St. John’s are back-to-back Big East Tournament champions. Also, the Red Storm became the first Big East team to win both the outright Big East regular season and tournament titles in two straight seasons.
The Johnnies outplayed UConn in all facets in their 72-52 blowout during Saturday night’s championship game, culminating a dominant title defense in which they led in 118 of their 120 minutes played in this year’s Big East Tournament. In his final game at Madison Square Garden, Zuby Ejiofor made his Mecca curtain call unforgettable. The Red Storm’s senior star led his team with 18 points, nine rebounds, and became the first player in Big East championship game history to record seven blocks.
For his efforts over these last three days, Ejiofor added another trophy to his growing collection, winning the Big East Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after averaging 19. 7 points, 8. 0 rebounds, 4.