STJOHN

UCONN

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RJ Luis and Kadary Richmond rally No. 12 St. John's to 68-62 victory over No. 19 UConn

AP
Feb 07, 2025

STORRS, Conn. (AP) RJ Luis Jr. scored six of his 21 points in the final 2:16 to help No. 12 St. John's extend its winning streak to 10 games with a 68-62 comeback victory over No. 19 UConn on Friday night.

Kadary Richmond scored all 13 of his points in the second half and Simeon Wilcher added 12 for St. John's (21-3, 12-1 Big East).

Liam McNeeley had 18 points for UConn (16-7, 8-4). Solo Ball had 13 points, while Tarris Reed Jr. had 12 points and 15 rebounds.

McNeeley, who missed the previous eight games with an ankle injury, had four points in a 6-0 run by UConn to put the Huskies up by six with 11:16 left in the second half. The Huskies couldn't build on it as St. John's regained the lead on back-to-back jumpers by Luis and Richmond.

Ball and Stewart scored eight points each as UConn jumped out to an early 21-8 lead. With the Huskies up by 14, Deivon Smith had a four-point play to begin an 8-0 run by St. John's. The Red Storm took the lead for the first time on a basket by Wilcher with 2:29 left in the first half.

St. John's led 37-35 at halftime.

Ben Gordon, who played for the Huskies from 2001-04 and was a member of a national championship team in his junior season, was inducted into the Huskies of Honor at halftime.

St. John's: The Red Storm won despite missing 11 shots in a row during one stretch in the second half.

UConn: Ball and Stewart got off to impressive shooting starts, but failed to score in the second half after combining for 22 points in the first half.

With UConn leading by four, Richmond had a pair of baskets during a 6-0 run to take the lead. The Red Storm would score 12 points in a row.

There were 20 points scored off turnovers, and 18 were scored by St. John's.

St. John's: Plays at Villanova on Wednesday.

UConn: At Creighton on Tuesday.

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1st Half
SJU
Red Storm
37
UCONN
Huskies
35

Time		Play	Score
20:00		(Huskies gains possession)
19:41	+2	Solo Ball makes two point jump shot	0-2
19:36		Alex Karaban shooting foul (Simeon Wilcher draws the foul)
19:36	+1	Simeon Wilcher makes regular free throw 1 of 2	1-2
19:36		Simeon Wilcher misses regular free throw 2 of 2
19:36		Samson Johnson defensive rebound
19:18		Alex Karaban misses three point jump shot
19:16		Jaylin Stewart offensive rebound
19:11		Kadary Richmond shooting foul (Samson Johnson draws the foul)
19:11	+1	Samson Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	1-3
19:11	+1	Samson Johnson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	1-4
19:00	+3	Aaron Scott makes three point jump shot (Kadary Richmond assists)	4-4
18:40	+3	Solo Ball makes three point jump shot (Hassan Diarra assists)	4-7
18:20	+2	RJ Luis Jr. makes two point jump shot	6-7
17:51		Jaylin Stewart misses three point jump shot
17:49		Hassan Diarra offensive rebound
17:32	+3	Solo Ball makes three point jump shot (Samson Johnson assists)	6-10
17:03		Samson Johnson personal foul
16:45	+2	Aaron Scott makes two point layup	8-10
16:28		Hassan Diarra turnover (bad pass) (Zuby Ejiofor steals)
16:22		RJ Luis Jr. misses three point jump shot
16:20		Hassan Diarra defensive rebound
16:11	+3	Jaylin Stewart makes three point jump shot (Alex Karaban assists)	8-13
15:56		RJ Luis Jr. misses two point layup
15:54		Alex Karaban defensive rebound
15:48		Alex Karaban misses three point jump shot
15:46		Tarris Reed Jr. offensive rebound
15:44	+2	Tarris Reed Jr. makes two point layup	8-15
15:44		RJ Luis Jr. shooting foul (Tarris Reed Jr. draws the foul)
15:44		TV timeout
15:44		Tarris Reed Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 1
15:44		RJ Luis Jr. defensive rebound
15:29		Simeon Wilcher misses three point jump shot
15:27		Jaylin Stewart defensive rebound
15:08		Zuby Ejiofor shooting foul (Liam McNeeley draws the foul)
15:08	+1	Liam McNeeley makes regular free throw 1 of 2	8-16
15:08		Liam McNeeley misses regular free throw 2 of 2
15:08		RJ Luis Jr. defensive rebound
14:56		RJ Luis Jr. misses three point jump shot
14:54		Solo Ball defensive rebound
14:51	+2	Jaylin Stewart makes two point dunk (Solo Ball assists)	8-18
14:32		Simeon Wilcher misses three point jump shot
14:30		Liam McNeeley defensive rebound
14:25	+3	Jaylin Stewart makes three point jump shot (Hassan Diarra assists)	8-21
14:22		Red Storm 30 second timeout
14:09		Kadary Richmond turnover (lost ball) (Hassan Diarra steals)
13:48		Jaylin Stewart turnover (bad pass) (Ruben Prey steals)
13:44		Solo Ball shooting foul (Zuby Ejiofor draws the foul)
13:44	+1	Zuby Ejiofor makes regular free throw 1 of 2	9-21
13:44	+1	Zuby Ejiofor makes regular free throw 2 of 2	10-21
13:38		Solo Ball misses two point layup
13:36		Tarris Reed Jr. offensive rebound
13:32		Liam McNeeley misses three point jump shot
13:30		Hassan Diarra offensive rebound
13:21	+3	Solo Ball makes three point jump shot (Aidan Mahaney assists)	10-24
12:54		Ruben Prey misses three point jump shot
12:52		Liam McNeeley defensive rebound
12:39		Liam McNeeley misses three point jump shot
12:37		Tarris Reed Jr. offensive rebound
12:30		Liam McNeeley misses three point jump shot
12:28		RJ Luis Jr. defensive rebound
12:15		Kadary Richmond misses two point jump shot
12:13		Liam McNeeley defensive rebound
12:09		Jaylin Stewart turnover (lost ball)
12:00	+2	RJ Luis Jr. makes two point layup (Kadary Richmond assists)	12-24
11:38	+2	Tarris Reed Jr. makes two point dunk (Alex Karaban assists)	12-26
11:12		Deivon Smith misses two point jump shot
11:10		Tarris Reed Jr. defensive rebound
11:04		Liam McNeeley misses two point jump shot
11:02		Tarris Reed Jr. offensive rebound
10:58		TV timeout
10:41		Aidan Mahaney misses three point jump shot
10:39		Huskies turnover (shot clock violation)
10:25		Kadary Richmond misses two point layup
10:23		Tarris Reed Jr. defensive rebound
10:17		Alex Karaban misses three point jump shot
10:15		Jayden Ross offensive rebound
10:08		Solo Ball misses two point layup
10:06		Kadary Richmond defensive rebound
10:00		Aaron Scott misses three point jump shot
9:58		Solo Ball defensive rebound
9:45		Alex Karaban misses three point jump shot
9:43		Kadary Richmond defensive rebound
9:37	+3	Deivon Smith makes three point jump shot (Kadary Richmond assists)	15-26
9:37		Alex Karaban shooting foul (Deivon Smith draws the foul)
9:37	+1	Deivon Smith makes regular free throw 1 of 1	16-26
9:37		Huskies turnover (5-second violation)
9:34	+2	Aaron Scott makes two point jump shot (Kadary Richmond assists)	18-26
9:16		Solo Ball turnover (bad pass) (Aaron Scott steals)
9:12		Simeon Wilcher misses three point jump shot
9:10		Red Storm offensive rebound
9:10		Samson Johnson personal foul
8:58		RJ Luis Jr. misses two point jump shot
8:56		Liam McNeeley defensive rebound
8:52		Hassan Diarra turnover (lost ball)
8:42	+2	Simeon Wilcher makes two point jump shot	20-26
8:03	+2	Solo Ball makes two point layup	20-28
7:45	+2	RJ Luis Jr. makes two point jump shot	22-28
7:27		Liam McNeeley misses three point jump shot
7:25		RJ Luis Jr. defensive rebound
7:24		Hassan Diarra personal foul
7:24		TV timeout
7:10		Kadary Richmond misses two point layup
7:08		Liam McNeeley defensive rebound
6:50		Kadary Richmond personal foul
6:40		Hassan Diarra turnover (bad pass) (Deivon Smith steals)
6:36	+2	Zuby Ejiofor makes two point dunk (Deivon Smith assists)	24-28
6:08		Aaron Scott blocks Tarris Reed Jr.'s two point layup
6:06		Aaron Scott defensive rebound
5:55	+2	RJ Luis Jr. makes two point layup (Zuby Ejiofor assists)	26-28
5:55		Jaylin Stewart shooting foul (RJ Luis Jr. draws the foul)
5:55		Huskies 30 second timeout
5:55	+1	RJ Luis Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 1	27-28
5:53		Simeon Wilcher technical foul
5:53	+1	Jaylin Stewart makes technical free throw 1 of 2	27-29
5:53		Jaylin Stewart misses technical free throw 2 of 2
5:43	+2	Liam McNeeley makes two point hook shot	27-31
5:28		Simeon Wilcher misses three point jump shot
5:26		Red Storm offensive rebound
5:25	+2	RJ Luis Jr. makes two point jump shot (Deivon Smith assists)	29-31
4:59		Aaron Scott shooting foul (Liam McNeeley draws the foul)
4:59	+1	Liam McNeeley makes regular free throw 1 of 2	29-32
4:59	+1	Liam McNeeley makes regular free throw 2 of 2	29-33
4:43		RJ Luis Jr. misses three point jump shot
4:41		Liam McNeeley defensive rebound
4:22		Solo Ball misses three point jump shot
4:20		Simeon Wilcher defensive rebound
4:09		Zuby Ejiofor misses two point layup
4:07		Tarris Reed Jr. defensive rebound
3:43		Jaylin Stewart misses three point jump shot
3:41		Aaron Scott defensive rebound
3:26		RJ Luis Jr. misses three point jump shot
3:24		Simeon Wilcher offensive rebound
3:22	+3	Simeon Wilcher makes three point jump shot	32-33
2:50		RJ Luis Jr. shooting foul (Jaylin Stewart draws the foul)
2:50		TV timeout
2:50		Jaylin Stewart misses regular free throw 1 of 2
2:50		Jaylin Stewart misses regular free throw 2 of 2
2:50		Aaron Scott defensive rebound
2:30	+2	Simeon Wilcher makes two point layup	34-33
1:57		Liam McNeeley misses three point jump shot
1:55		Tarris Reed Jr. offensive rebound
1:36		Tarris Reed Jr. misses two point jump shot
1:34		Huskies turnover (shot clock violation)
1:17		Deivon Smith misses three point jump shot
1:15		Liam McNeeley defensive rebound
1:07		Solo Ball misses two point layup
1:05		Tarris Reed Jr. offensive rebound
1:05	+2	Tarris Reed Jr. makes two point layup	34-35
1:05		Sadiku Ibine Ayo shooting foul (Tarris Reed Jr. draws the foul)
1:05		Tarris Reed Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 1
1:05		Deivon Smith defensive rebound
0:58	+2	Zuby Ejiofor makes two point layup (Deivon Smith assists)	36-35
0:58		Tarris Reed Jr. shooting foul (Zuby Ejiofor draws the foul)
0:58	+1	Zuby Ejiofor makes regular free throw 1 of 1	37-35
0:33		Liam McNeeley turnover (lost ball)
0:33		Red Storm 30 second timeout
0:02		Red Storm turnover (shot clock violation)
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
SJU
Red Storm
31
UCONN
Huskies
27

Time		Play	Score
19:42		Hassan Diarra shooting foul (Kadary Richmond draws the foul)
19:42		Kadary Richmond misses regular free throw 1 of 2
19:42		Kadary Richmond misses regular free throw 2 of 2
19:42		Jaylin Stewart defensive rebound
19:23	+3	Hassan Diarra makes three point jump shot (Alex Karaban assists)	37-38
18:58		Simeon Wilcher misses two point jump shot
18:56		Hassan Diarra defensive rebound
18:42		Samson Johnson misses two point jump shot
18:40		Alex Karaban offensive rebound
18:36	+2	Alex Karaban makes two point layup	37-40
18:19	+3	Simeon Wilcher makes three point jump shot (RJ Luis Jr. assists)	40-40
17:50	+2	Samson Johnson makes two point dunk (Solo Ball assists)	40-42
17:35		Solo Ball personal foul (Zuby Ejiofor draws the foul)
17:25		Samson Johnson shooting foul (Kadary Richmond draws the foul)
17:25	+1	Kadary Richmond makes regular free throw 1 of 2	41-42
17:25	+1	Kadary Richmond makes regular free throw 2 of 2	42-42
17:06		Jaylin Stewart misses three point jump shot
17:04		Huskies offensive rebound
16:48		Hassan Diarra turnover (bad pass) (Deivon Smith steals)
16:41		Jaylin Stewart blocks Deivon Smith's two point layup
16:39		Tarris Reed Jr. defensive rebound
16:30		Tarris Reed Jr. offensive foul
16:30		Tarris Reed Jr. turnover (offensive foul)
16:22		Tarris Reed Jr. blocks Simeon Wilcher's two point layup
16:20		Red Storm offensive rebound
16:16		Simeon Wilcher turnover (lost ball)
15:53		Solo Ball misses three point jump shot
15:51		Zuby Ejiofor defensive rebound
15:37		Deivon Smith misses three point jump shot
15:35		Alex Karaban defensive rebound
15:26		Alex Karaban misses three point jump shot
15:24		Kadary Richmond defensive rebound
15:18		Solo Ball blocks Deivon Smith's two point layup
15:17		Red Storm offensive rebound
15:17		TV timeout
15:12		Deivon Smith misses two point layup
15:10		Liam McNeeley defensive rebound
14:46	+2	Tarris Reed Jr. makes two point dunk (Hassan Diarra assists)	42-44
14:34		RJ Luis Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Alex Karaban steals)
14:07		Hassan Diarra turnover (out of bounds)
13:52		Simeon Wilcher turnover (bad pass)
13:47		Tarris Reed Jr. offensive foul (Zuby Ejiofor draws the foul)
13:47		Tarris Reed Jr. turnover (offensive foul)
13:35		RJ Luis Jr. misses three point jump shot
13:33		Aaron Scott offensive rebound
13:28		Kadary Richmond misses three point jump shot
13:26		Huskies defensive rebound
12:58		Zuby Ejiofor shooting foul (Liam McNeeley draws the foul)
12:58	+1	Liam McNeeley makes regular free throw 1 of 2	42-45
12:58		Liam McNeeley misses regular free throw 2 of 2
12:58		Kadary Richmond defensive rebound
12:45		Zuby Ejiofor misses three point jump shot
12:43		Hassan Diarra defensive rebound
12:41		RJ Luis Jr. personal foul (Hassan Diarra draws the foul)
12:12		Liam McNeeley misses two point jump shot
12:10		Deivon Smith defensive rebound
12:03		Samson Johnson blocks RJ Luis Jr.'s two point layup
12:01		RJ Luis Jr. offensive rebound
11:58		RJ Luis Jr. misses two point jump shot
11:57		RJ Luis Jr. offensive rebound
11:57		Samson Johnson personal foul (RJ Luis Jr. draws the foul)
11:57		TV timeout
11:50		Kadary Richmond misses three point jump shot
11:48		Liam McNeeley defensive rebound
11:19	+3	Liam McNeeley makes three point jump shot	42-48
10:57	+2	RJ Luis Jr. makes two point jump shot	44-48
10:28		Solo Ball misses three point jump shot
10:26		RJ Luis Jr. defensive rebound
10:08	+2	Kadary Richmond makes two point jump shot	46-48
9:36		Hassan Diarra misses three point jump shot
9:34		Zuby Ejiofor defensive rebound
9:26		Kadary Richmond misses two point layup
9:26		Tarris Reed Jr. defensive rebound
9:26		Kadary Richmond personal foul
9:17	+3	Liam McNeeley makes three point jump shot (Solo Ball assists)	46-51
8:53		RJ Luis Jr. misses three point jump shot
8:51		Liam McNeeley defensive rebound
8:43		Hassan Diarra turnover (lost ball) (Aaron Scott steals)
8:36		Deivon Smith misses two point layup
8:34		Zuby Ejiofor offensive rebound
8:31	+2	Zuby Ejiofor makes two point layup	48-51
8:01		Aaron Scott blocks Liam McNeeley's two point jump shot
8:00		Huskies turnover (shot clock violation)
8:00		TV timeout
7:43		Simeon Wilcher misses two point layup
7:41		Tarris Reed Jr. defensive rebound
7:38		Tarris Reed Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Simeon Wilcher steals)
7:36		Tarris Reed Jr. blocks Kadary Richmond's two point layup
7:32		Tarris Reed Jr. defensive rebound
7:32		Jump ball. Tarris Reed Jr. vs. Kadary Richmond (Tarris Reed Jr. gains possession)
7:12		Aaron Scott shooting foul (Alex Karaban draws the foul)
7:12	+1	Alex Karaban makes regular free throw 1 of 2	48-52
7:12		Alex Karaban misses regular free throw 2 of 2
7:12		Kadary Richmond defensive rebound
6:58	+2	Kadary Richmond makes two point layup	50-52
6:30		Aidan Mahaney turnover (bad pass)
6:18		Tarris Reed Jr. blocks RJ Luis Jr.'s two point layup
6:16		Tarris Reed Jr. defensive rebound
6:04		Solo Ball turnover (lost ball)
5:50	+2	RJ Luis Jr. makes two point jump shot (Zuby Ejiofor assists)	52-52
5:39		Liam McNeeley turnover (bad pass)
5:30	+2	Kadary Richmond makes two point jump shot	54-52
5:16		Huskies 30 second timeout
5:16		TV timeout
4:58		Solo Ball misses three point jump shot
4:56		Red Storm defensive rebound
4:35	+2	Kadary Richmond makes two point layup	56-52
4:15		Simeon Wilcher personal foul
4:05		Liam McNeeley turnover (lost ball) (Kadary Richmond steals)
3:55		Simeon Wilcher misses two point layup
3:53		Aaron Scott offensive rebound
3:49	+2	Aaron Scott makes two point layup	58-52
3:45		Alex Karaban turnover (lost ball) (Kadary Richmond steals)
3:43		RJ Luis Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Hassan Diarra steals)
3:41		TV timeout
3:13		Liam McNeeley misses three point jump shot
3:11		Kadary Richmond defensive rebound
3:11		Hassan Diarra personal foul (Kadary Richmond draws the foul)
3:11	+1	Kadary Richmond makes regular free throw 1 of 2	59-52
3:11	+1	Kadary Richmond makes regular free throw 2 of 2	60-52
3:11		Huskies 30 second timeout
3:04		Simeon Wilcher personal foul
2:54		Kadary Richmond personal foul (Tarris Reed Jr. draws the foul)
2:54	+1	Tarris Reed Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	60-53
2:54	+1	Tarris Reed Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	60-54
2:49		RJ Luis Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Liam McNeeley steals)
2:33	+2	Liam McNeeley makes two point layup	60-56
2:16	+2	RJ Luis Jr. makes two point jump shot (Kadary Richmond assists)	62-56
1:58		Liam McNeeley misses three point jump shot
1:56		Tarris Reed Jr. offensive rebound
1:52	+2	Tarris Reed Jr. makes two point layup	62-58
1:22	+2	RJ Luis Jr. makes two point jump shot	64-58
1:11		RJ Luis Jr. personal foul (Liam McNeeley draws the foul)
1:11	+1	Liam McNeeley makes regular free throw 1 of 2	64-59
1:11	+1	Liam McNeeley makes regular free throw 2 of 2	64-60
0:58		Kadary Richmond misses two point layup
0:56		Zuby Ejiofor offensive rebound
0:56		Jayden Ross personal foul (Zuby Ejiofor draws the foul)
0:56		Zuby Ejiofor misses regular free throw 1 of 1
0:56		Liam McNeeley defensive rebound
0:39		Aaron Scott shooting foul (Liam McNeeley draws the foul)
0:39	+1	Liam McNeeley makes regular free throw 1 of 2	64-61
0:39	+1	Liam McNeeley makes regular free throw 2 of 2	64-62
0:13		Solo Ball blocks Simeon Wilcher's two point jump shot
0:12		Red Storm offensive rebound
0:10	+2	RJ Luis Jr. makes two point jump shot (Kadary Richmond assists)	66-62
0:10		Red Storm 60 second timeout
0:05		Liam McNeeley misses two point layup
0:03		Zuby Ejiofor defensive rebound
0:02		Hassan Diarra personal foul (Zuby Ejiofor draws the foul)
0:02	+1	Zuby Ejiofor makes regular free throw 1 of 2	67-62
0:02	+1	Zuby Ejiofor makes regular free throw 2 of 2	68-62
0:00		End of period

+ 1

Zuby Ejiofor makes regular free throw 2 of 2