St. John's clinched its second consecutive Big East tournament championship with a dominant 72-52 victory over UConn at Madison Square Garden, extending its lead in the conference title race.

Zuby Ejiofor anchored the Red Storm's defense with seven blocks, nine rebounds, and three steals, while Bryce Hopkins contributed 18 points. The top-seeded Red Storm (28-6) became the first team since Villanova (2017-19) to win consecutive titles, joining UConn as the only programs to win both regular-season and tournament crowns back-to-back.

Oziyah Sellers added 14 points, and the Johnnies never trailed, winning all six tournament games by double digits the past two years. They opened a 17-point first-half lead, extending their season series advantage over UConn.

UConn (29-5) struggled, shooting just 36% in the first half and committing 11 turnovers. Tarris Reed Jr. scored 17 points, but Silas Demary Jr. left late with an ankle injury. The loss drops UConn further from the NCAA tournament picture.