St. John’s Secures 11th Straight Win Amid Game Chaos

No. 17 St. John’s clinched its 11th consecutive victory, defeating Providence 79-69 on Saturday at Amica Mutual Pavilion. Yet, the game was notable for its unexpected drama.

The match saw six players ejected after a significant altercation. It all began when Providence forward Duncan Powell delivered a hard foul to St. John’s Bryce Hopkins. After Powell stood over him, Hopkins sprang up and confronted Powell, which sparked a brawl.

Players from both teams rushed in, and soon enough, those on the St. John’s bench joined the fray. Coaches, referees, and security struggled to regain control in the midst of the chaos.

Following a nearly 20-minute delay, four players from St. John’s, including Dillon Mitchell, Ruben Prey, Sadiq Ivin Ayo, and Kelvin Oddi, along with Providence’s Jaylin Sellers and Powell, were ejected from the game.

Due to the lengthy interruption, players had to warm up separately, using their own baskets.

For St. John’s, the game turned pivotal after a hard foul, allowing them to capitalize with an 8-0 run and maintain control. Head coach Rick Pitino experienced a sense of nostalgia as he returned to a venue where he once coached Providence to the Final Four in 1987.

The Red Storm, who began the season 7-4, had recently fallen out of the rankings following a loss to a top opponent, Kentucky State. However, they’ve been on an upward trajectory, re-entering the rankings a few weeks ago and steadily climbing ever since.