Sports
UConn rolls by 32 in Pitino’s biggest loss at St. John’s
HARTFORD, Conn. — Tarris Reed Jr. had 20 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks, and No. 6 UConn held 15th-ranked St. John’s to 20% shooting in a 72-40 blowout Wednesday night that snapped the Red Storm’s 13-game winning streak.
Alex Karaban added 14 points and five rebounds for the Huskies, who moved back into first place in the Big East by avenging an 81-72 loss to St. John’s at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 6.
St. John’s missed 12 consecutive shots in the first half and then its final 24 field goal attempts of the game as the Huskies (26-3, 16-2) romped to their most lopsided victory in series history.
“They’ve been playing so well, the streak that they were on. … So it was just our night,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said. “It just starts snowballing on you when you have a night like this. Obviously, we played really good defense on them, and I thought we demoralized them a little bit when the score gets where the score got. And I just think it was one of those nights where everything went great for us and everything went wrong for them. But we did a lot to make that happen.”
It was by far the largest defeat for the Red Storm in three seasons under Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino, and their fewest points in a game since scoring 40 against Notre Dame in March 2013. St. John’s had its largest loss as an AP-ranked team since March 15, 1960, when it fell to St. Bonaventure by 35.
For Pitino, it was his second-largest loss as the head coach of an AP-ranked team in his career, behind only a 33-point loss with then-No. 5 Louisville in February 2009.
“It’s probably only happened to me two times in my career. Once was in my first year at Kentucky when we went into Phog Allen [Fieldhouse] at Kansas, but I was playing with very much an inferior team with walk-ons, not with this type of team,” Pitino said, referring to a 55-point loss with an unranked Wildcats team in December 1989. “It’s all on me. I’m very disappointed in our performance, offensively especially, sharing the ball, moving the ball. It’s all on me.”
Solo Ball had 11 points and four assists for UConn, and Silas Demary Jr. provided seven points, eight rebounds and five assists.
Joson Sanon scored all 10 of his points in the first half for St. John’s (22-6, 15-2), which finished 11-of-56 from the field and fell a half-game behind UConn in the conference standings. The team’s 13-game winning streak was its longest in 41 years.
Zuby Ejiofor had two quick baskets for the Red Storm early in the second half, but the Huskies scored the next 16 points. A driving layup by Karaban put them up by 23 with 13:42 left, and St. John’s went the last 17:27 without a field goal.
“I don’t know what it is. All I know is we didn’t play good offense,” Pitino said. “We did things that we’ve never done. And again, it’s something that I’ve got to question about myself, and I will question it because the team did not do the things we’ve done in the last 13 games.”
Braylon Mullins had six points and Karaban scored five during UConn’s 18-0 run in the first half. A driving layup by Ball gave the Huskies a 33-12 lead.
Sanon had 10 of the next 12 points for St. John’s as the Red Storm began to cut into the deficit. Reed grabbed his own miss and kicked the ball out to Ball for a 3-pointer, and the Huskies went into halftime leading 41-26.
UConn’s starters outscored the Red Storm’s starting five 61-28, and the Huskies had a 42-12 advantage in the paint.
The Associated Press and ESPN Research contributed to this report.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The Indiana Pacers’ run to the NBA Finals last year came to a screeching halt when the team lost Tyrese Haliburton with a torn Achilles in Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Haliburton missed the entire 2025-26 season as he watched Indiana only win 19 games and fall to 14th in the Eastern Conference. But as he revs up to play in 2026-27, Haliburton admitted that it’s not the physical injury that he’s worried about going into next year.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton shoots around on the court before an NBA game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Indianapolis on April 7, 2026. (Doug McSchooler/AP)
It’s an illness he’s been battling.
He said Monday he has been dealing with shingles, which has caused him to gain weight, lose part of his right eyebrow and forced him to wear glasses to avoid scratching his swollen eye.
“First of all, I’d tell anybody over 50 years old to get the shot,” Haliburton said. “It’s been miserable. I have good days and bad days, but for the most part it’s been bad days.
“I’ve been taking unbelievable amounts of medication to try to get rid of it. It hasn’t worked. It’s not been fun and hopefully it goes away soon. It’s hard to really tell with nerve pain, but I’ve been dealing now with nerve pain for two months and in the world of nerve pain, that’s not very long. Hopefully, it goes away soon.”
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton reacts after suffering an injury during the first quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder in game seven of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., on June 22, 2025. (Kyle Terada/Imagn Images)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said about 1 in 3 Americans will get shingles. The illness, if severe enough, can cause vision loss and nerve pain.
Haliburton said he was on a similar recovery timeline as Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum, who also suffered a torn Achilles in the playoffs last year. Tatum returned to the Celtics in March and has provided the boost Boston needed to be seen as championship contenders.
Haliburton said he has “no worries” about getting back into playing shape once he’s off the medication.
“I’m out of shape like crazy, like I never have been before,” Haliburton said. “I’ve changed my medication a bunch of times. I’ve gotten a Botox injection I thought would help, it hasn’t really helped. I’ve done everything, it just hasn’t worked yet. But I’m confident it goes away soon.”
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton plays in the second half against the Miami Heat at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., on March 29, 2026. (Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
The Pacers will likely have a top lottery pick in the draft. Adding another young superstar to the Haliburton-led team would be a blessing in disguise for Indiana as they look to get back on top of the conference next season.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has banned Zimbabwean cricketer Muzarabani from playing in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) for two years for violating contract.
According to PCB, Blessing Muzarabani will not be able to play the next two editions of PSL.
The decision to ban Muzarabani was made due to breach of contract.
Muzarabani preferred the second contract despite the terms being agreed upon.
There will be no compromise on compliance with contracts and transparency in professional cricket.
Disciplinary action was necessary to maintain the effectiveness of PSL.
PSL is a platform where contracts are respected.
This ban has been imposed as a necessary measure to protect the league.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has banned Zimbabwean cricketer Blessing Muzarabani from participating in the next two editions of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) for pulling out of the marquee league at the eleventh hour.
“Following a thorough disciplinary review, the PCB has announced that Zimbabwean cricketer Blessing Muzarabani is declared ineligible to participate in the next two (2) editions of the PSL, effective immediately,” the cricket board said in a statement.
Muzarabani was originally set to feature for Islamabad United in the PSL 2026, but the right-arm fast bowler withdrew himself as he was signed by Indian Premier League franchise Kolkata Knight Riders.
The PCB reaffirmed its commitment to the highest standards of professional conduct and the sanctity of contractual agreements within the PSL.
“This decision stems from a fundamental failure to honour agreed-upon commitments, an action that undermines the professional framework of the league,” the statement read.
The PCB maintained that professional cricket operates on the bedrock of trust and the certainty of agreements. “In this instance, despite a clear offer and an unequivocal acceptance of essential terms, the player chose to disregard these obligations in favour of a conflicting arrangement.”
The PCB added that once essential terms — including remuneration and structure — are agreed upon through written correspondence, a binding obligation is formed, adding that the attempt to move away from such commitments without valid cause is a violation of contractual obligations and principles of good faith that govern global professional sports.
Earlier, Sri Lanka’s Dasun Shanaka and Australia’s Spensor Johnson had also pulled out of the PSL and joined the IPL.
The PCB added: “Professionalism in franchise-based leagues requires participants to act with transparency and consistency. Entering into a conflicting engagement while a prior binding agreement subsists represents a departure from the expected standards of the game. Such conduct, if left unaddressed, erodes the reliability of dealings and the confidence that franchises, regulators, and stakeholders place in professional engagements.”
UK biz confidence subdued, investment intentions weak in Q1 2026: BCC
War disruption hits exports: 20-year clients turn elsewhere
Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton talks shingles battle as he recovers from torn Achilles
-
Fashion1 week agoIndia’s exports face reset as EU links trade to carbon metrics: EY
-
Tech6 days agoAs the Strait of Hormuz Reopens, Global Shipping Will Take Months to Recover
-
Entertainment6 days agoQueen Elizabeth II emotional message for Archie, Lilibet sparks speculation
-
Tech6 days agoAzure customers up in arms over ‘full’ UK South region | Computer Weekly
-
Entertainment1 week agoLamar Odom shocking response to Khloé Kardashian account of his overdose
-
Sports1 week agoWith Messi goal, Inter Miami open new stadium with dream moment
-
Tech5 days agoThis AI Button Wearable From Ex-Apple Engineers Looks Like an iPod Shuffle
-
Fashion6 days agoCII submits 20-pt agenda to Indian govt to back firms hit by Iran war