St. John's, Providence Set for Heated Big East Tournament Rubber Match | amNewYork

"Feb. 14, the second time the two clashed, marked a homecoming for former Friar Bryce Hopkins and a chance for St. John's to right its wrongs from its first bout on Jan. 3. The environment was rowdy, boos raining down on Hopkins, leading up to the ultimate moment, one that wrote the ending to both their seasons. Hopkins was on a one-on-one transition opportunity when Duncan Powell put him in a midair chokehold."

"Powell was the only player ejected for fighting after throwing a punch at Dillon Mitchell. In the fallout, St. John's lost Mitchell due to a flagrant foul and then lost three bench pieces—Ruben Prey, Kelvin Odih, and Sadiku Ibine Ayo. Providence also lost top scorer Jaylin Sellers, who was forced to leave the contest. A Saturday afternoon college basketball game suddenly turned into a UFC main event, one the Johnnies won by unanimous decision, 79-69."

"Powell received a three-game suspension, with the brawl questioning Kim English's coaching, which later led to the news of his eventual firing following the season. Now, both teams clash on the biggest stage, one that could bring fans from both sides to the Garden for another heated contest."

St. John's and Providence meet for the third time in the Big East Conference Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday at noon ET. Their second matchup on February 14 ended in a brawl that resulted in multiple ejections and suspensions, with St. John's winning 79-69. Duncan Powell was ejected and received a three-game suspension for throwing a punch at Dillon Mitchell during the altercation. The incident led to significant roster losses for both teams and raised questions about St. John's coach Kim English's leadership, ultimately contributing to his firing. Providence lost top scorer Jaylin Sellers in the melee, while St. John's lost Dillon Mitchell and three bench players. The tournament matchup presents another opportunity for these heated rivals to compete on college basketball's biggest stage.

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