Preview: Connecticut vs. Saint John’s in Big East Showdown

NEW YORK (Interstat) — A spot in the Big East tournament championship game will be on the line Saturday when second-ranked Connecticut faces seventh-ranked Saint John’s in a high-stakes semifinal at Madison Square Garden.

The Huskies (29-4), the tournament’s top seed, enter having won 10 of their last 11 games. The Red Storm (27-6), the seed, have won eight consecutive contests. Both teams advanced with quarterfinal victories Friday.

This marks the third meeting this season between the conference heavyweights, with each winning on the other’s home floor. Saint John’s earned an 81-72 victory at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 6, but Connecticut responded with a dominant 72-40 win in Storrs on Feb. 25.

The Huskies are led by guard Braylon Mullins, who scored 21 points in Friday’s 67-51 win over Georgetown. He averaged 9.0 points in the two regular-season meetings with Saint John’s.

The Red Storm counter with forward Zuby Ejiofor, who is playing at an elite level. He is averaging 22.3 points over his last four games, including a 20-point performance in Friday’s 78-68 win over Seton Hall. His production will be critical; he was held to just six points in the lopsided February loss at Connecticut.

Connecticut’s defense, which stifled Saint John’s last month, will be tested by a Red Storm offense averaging 81.3 points during its winning streak. The Huskies have held opponents to 62.8 points per game over their last five.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Connecticut holds a narrow 51.40 percent probability to win.

The game is scheduled for a 5:18 p.m. EDT tip-off Saturday, March 14, at Madison Square Garden. The winner will advance to face either Marquette or Providence in Sunday’s championship game.