Feb 7, 2025; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies guard Hassan Diarra (10) passes the ball against St. John's Red Storm guard Kadary Richmond (1) in the first half at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images David Butler II-Imagn Images

UConn Huskies Budding Rivalry Could Become All-Time Matchup

Originally posted on UConn Huskies on SI | By Tommy Wild | Last updated Aug 4, 2025 11:45 AM ET

The BIG EAST has two teams that are clear favorites to win the conference title heading into the season: the UConn Huskies and St. John’s Red Storm.

These two programs don't have the historical pedigree that some other rivals have in college basketball, but they could be on their way to being a must-watch matchup for every fan.

Mike Rutherford of SB Nation recently ranked the great rivals in college basketball history, and UConn vs. St. John’s came in at No. 96.

“A rivalry too fresh to be any higher on this list, St. John’s vs. UConn has a chance to be the biggest thing in the Big East over the decade that lies ahead. Two of the highest profile head coaches in the sport, Rick Pitino and Dan Hurley are too similarly spirited for these matchups to not give us more memorable moments (like Hurley’s fiery interaction with “red blazer guy”) over the years to come,” wrote Rutherford.

This analysis is pretty fair of the Huskies and Red Storm’s current rivalry. The two programs don’t have a ton of history with one another, but this matchup does have the potential to be one of the best rivalries in the conference, and even all of college basketball, over the next decade.

Historically, the Huskies haven’t fared well in their head-to-head matchup against the Red Storm. St. John’s has won 39 of the 74 matchups between the two schools dating back to 1949.

However, the current state of each team is where everything could get interesting moving forward.

Both programs have elite head coaches with experience winning national championships. Plus, given their relatively close geographic location, the schools will be recruiting from the same area, which could add another layer to the off-court rivalry.

Last season, UConn lost both of its matchups to St. John’s. The programs saw each other twice in a span of 16 days.

It’s going to be fun to watch these two programs face off in what should be tightly-contested games, not just next year, but for the foreseeable future.

This article first appeared on UConn Huskies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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