NEW YORK (AP) — Tristen Newton had 25 substances and nine assists as No. 2 UConn evolved to the Massive East championship sport with a rollicking 95-90 victory over St. John’s on Friday at Madison Square Garden.
Cam Spencer added 20 substances and nine assists for the quit-seeded Huskies (30-3), who will face 10th-ranked Marquette or seventh-seeded Providence on Saturday evening.
It’s the 11th look in the Massive East last for Connecticut and first since Kemba Walker carried the personnel to its most most modern title in 2011. UConn had been 0-3 in convention semifinals since rejoining the league for the 2020-21 season.
Fifth-seeded St. John’s (20-13) fell on the abet of by 14 with 12: 28 left and couldn’t climb the total plot abet. The Johnnies stayed in the sport for mighty of the kind against the reigning national champions, but they couldn’t rather retain up.
St. John’s level guard Daniss Jenkins poured in 27 substances earlier than a spoil up crowd inner a rocking Garden for this matchup between new Massive East members. Jordan Dingle scored 19 for the Crimson Storm.
Alex Karaban had 14 substances for UConn, which improved to 6-0 at MSG this season with its sixth consecutive victory total and 20th in 21 games.
Taking half in in the Massive East semifinals for the most well-known time since a hit the 2000 match, St. John’s had received six games in a row — four of them by on the least 14 substances.
Going abet to consecutive Massive East Tournament championships at Louisville in 2012 and 2013, Hall of Reputation coach Rick Pitino had received eight consecutive games in this occasion. He joked after Thursday’s 91-72 quarterfinal decide over Hudson River rival Seton Hall that he had told his gamers they better now not sabotage his drag.
Each and each notorious coaches were fired up all over this one. The 71-year-outmoded Pitino modified into as soon as whistled for a technical on the 8: 16 designate of the most well-known half of for arguing a hideous call on St. John’s center Joel Soriano.
That modified into as soon as adopted nearly true away by a technical on UConn coach Dan Hurley in the middle of the identical stoppage. Along with his father, Current Jersey highschool instructing big Bob Hurley Sr., sitting in the front row upright on the abet of him, Dan Hurley known as for security to eject a fan from a more than a few seat within reach.
After making their last 15 makes an are attempting from the field in Thursday’s 87-60 quarterfinal rout of Xavier, the Huskies shot 63% with six 3s and made 12 of 13 free throws in the most well-known half of to purchase a 52-47 lead into the spoil on the abet of Newton’s 20 substances and 6 assists.
St. John’s stayed close attributable to Jenkins, who scored 14 straight Crimson Storm substances in 3: 18 early on.
BIG PICTURE
St. John’s: With their late-season a hit drag, the Crimson Storm relish made a true push for their first NCAA Tournament invite since 2019 below coach Chris Mullin. They started the day with an NCAA NET ranking of 32, fourth-simplest amongst Massive East groups. Pitino is attempting to change into the most well-known coach to purchase six colleges to the NCAAs.
UConn: Seeking its eighth Massive East Tournament title, which may match Georgetown for the most of any college.
UP NEXT
UConn swept two games from both Marquette and Providence in the middle of the unparalleled season.
