St. John’s earned a 79–69 win against Providence in a tense Big East matchup that quickly became defined by a second-half fight rather than just the final score. The incident began when Providence forward Duncan Powell delivered a hard foul on St. John’s forward Bryce Hopkins, a former Friar who played three seasons with the program.
Hopkins immediately rose to confront Powell, leading to a heated exchange that drew in players from both benches. As teammates rushed in to separate the two, tensions escalated, and the game was brought to a halt. Officials spent 19 minutes reviewing the sequence to determine penalties and restore order.
St. John’s Tops Providence 79–69 in Big East Clash Marred by Bench Clearing Brawl (1)In the aftermath, six players were ejected. Providence lost Powell and Jaylin Sellers, while St. John’s had Dillon Mitchell, Kelvin Odih, Ruben Prey, and Sadiku Ibine Ayo dismissed. Later in the half, another flashpoint occurred when Providence’s Jamier Jones appeared to shove St. John’s center Zuby Ejiofor during a layup attempt. Notably, Hopkins remained in the game and was not assessed a foul despite initiating the confrontation after the hard contact.
Pitino Responds as Red Storm Extend Streak After Heated Victory
Head coach Rick Pitino addressed the altercation during his postgame press conference, acknowledging the challenges officials faced in managing such an emotional contest. He also remarked on the crowd’s reaction, suggesting the charged atmosphere added to the intensity. Whether any internal discipline will follow remains uncertain.
The victory improved St. John’s to 13–1 in Big East play and 20–5 this season, extending the Red Storm’s winning streak to 11 games. With six regular-season games remaining, St. John’s now turns its attention to an upcoming road matchup against Marquette, while Providence prepares to face DePaul next weekend.
