Overview
- Big East coaches picked St. John’s to win the league over UConn in a close preseason poll, 97 points to 94 with a 7–4 split in first-place votes.
- The AP preseason Top 25 slots UConn at No. 4 and St. John’s at No. 5, positioning both as national contenders entering 2025–26.
- Dan Hurley described a renewed “nastiness” when UConn plays St. John’s, while Rick Pitino downplayed UConn as a uniquely greater rival than other Big East foes.
- St. John’s swept UConn last season and captured the Big East regular-season and tournament titles after UConn’s 37–3, title-winning campaign the year before.
- The rivals meet Feb. 6 at Madison Square Garden and Feb. 25 in Hartford, with both rosters bolstered via the transfer portal and widely discussed as Final Four threats.