St. Johns can squash UConns hopes of another Big East regular-season title in big MSG clash

The chant is like nails on a chalkboard to St.John’s and its fans, especially when it happens inside Madison Square Garden. “U-C-O-N-N, UConn, UConn, UConn” is nightmare fuel for the Johnnies, bringing back painful memories of Connecticut fans overrunning the Garden during a pair of wins over the Johnnies in the arena last season. Sunday afternoon, St.

John’s and its win-starved fan base can quiet those agitating tormentors at a sold-out MSG. “For the most part of the season, it’s always been like a sea of red, Johnnies fans packing MSG, and that’s something that we need and that’s something that we thrive off of,” junior forward Zuby Ejiofor said.“The energy and the support that they show us on a given night is just something we expect coming up against UConn.” For the first time since the Huskies rejoined the Big East five years ago, the 10th-ranked Johnnies can sweep the back-to-back reigning national champions and officially end their pursuit of a second straight regular-season conference crown. In doing so, the Red Storm would be a step closer to the school’s first outright regular-season league title since the 1984-85 campaign.

St.John’s enters Sunday’s showdown two games up in the loss column on Creighton and three ahead of Connecticut and No.

16 Marquette with four games to go.A victory over the Huskies, and the odds of anyone catching the Red Storm lessen significantly. “Such a big stage, such a big arena, such a big game coming up,” sophomore guard Simeon Wilcher said.

“It’s really hard to put into words how excited I am, especially just for the environment.” There will be UConn fans in the building, no doubt about that, but the Red Storm are expected to have the significant edge.St.

John’s fans have shown up during this breakout season, selling out last Sunday’s win over Creighton, for instance.In seven Garden dates this season, the Johnnies’ average attendance has been 16,188, an impressive number ...