Potential First-Round Pick Leads St. John's to Upset Win Against UConn

The college basketball season continues to heat up as conference tournaments and March Madness continue to creep closer.

League tournaments begin in a month to determine NCAA Tournament automatic qualifier spots, with teams who don't win their conference fighting for at-large bids and seeding.

On Friday night, St. John's an Connecticut met in an important Big East contest that could have implecations on the big dance. The No. 22-ranked Red Storm defeated the No. 3-ranked Huskies 81-72 at Madison Square Garden, handing UConn its second loss of the season.

With the win, St. John's improved to 18-5 on the season and 11-1 in Big East play. Leading the way for Rick Pitino's team was veteran big man Zuby Ejiofor, who tallied a game-high 21 while shooting 6-of-10 from the field, 1-of-1 from 3-point range and 8-of-10 from the free throw line.

Ejiofor added 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 blocks and 2 steals in the victory.

The former four-star recruit out of Garland, Texas, spent his freshman year at Kansas, but has developed into one of the top big men in the country during his three seasons with the Red Storm. After a breakout campaign in 2024-25, Ejiofor has turned in another impressive year and could earn a position at the back end of the first round in the 2026 NBA Draft.

This season, the St. John's standout is averaging 15.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2 blocks and 1.2 steals per game. Listed at 6-foot-9 and 245 pounds, Ejiofor has the size, strength and physicality to compliment his well-rounded game, which will likely intrigue scouts at the next level.

It seems likely that the senior earns a spot in the late first round or early second round of the upcoming class. Where Ejiofor's stock ultimatly sits, though, will likely be determined by how he performs down the stretch and in the NCAA Tournament this seasons, as well as at the NBA Combine.

Ejiofor wasn't the only potential 2026 NBA Draft pick competing at Madison Square Garden on Friday night, either.

Huskies freshman Braylon Mullins, a potential lottery pick, notched 11 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists a steal and zero turnovers against St. John's, shooting 4-of-8 from the field and 3-of-7 from deep. Alex Karaban, a likely second-round selection in the upcoming class, finished with 17 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and a block while shooting 7-of-10 from the field and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.

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