St. John's Sweep, Titles Fuel UConn Rivalry

Dan Hurley brushed off preseason polls as “pretty meaningless,” saying he wouldn’t fill one out and told an assistant to “go do that s---,” and he emphasized preparation over external validation. He argued true rivalries require sustained parity, noting UConn’s six national titles since 1999 and back-to-back championships in 2023 and 2024, while crediting Rick Pitino for rebuilding St. John’s into a legitimate threat. That threat was realized last season when St. John’s swept UConn and captured both the Big East regular-season and tournament crowns. Both programs added transfers in the offseason and enter the year as Final Four contenders (AP preseason: UConn No. 4, St. John’s No. 5), with Big East coaches giving St. John’s a slight edge in the preseason pecking order. Two regular-season showdowns — Feb. 6 at Madison Square Garden and Feb. 25 in Hartford — are expected to be marquee games, with possible rematches in conference or NCAA play. Pitino downplayed naming UConn a unique rival, but both coaches acknowledge a “nastiness,” intensity and mutual respect that have elevated the matchup’s significance.