UConn is heading back to Gampel Pavilion on Wednesday, and they’re still unbeaten in the Big East. Sure, they stumbled in their big rivalry game against Tennessee last week, but when it comes to conference play, Paige Bueckers and Co. have been unstoppable. Coming off a dominant 77-40 win at Providence, the Huskies showed that they can bounce back. They got solid contributions early on offense, and their defense? Absolutely locked in. 

Now, as they prepare to take on St. John’s, there’s one key question: How will UConn’s roster shape up? The good news is that Aubrey Griffin, who missed Sunday’s game with a twisted ankle, is expected to be back. However, the Huskies are still missing Ice Brady, and that’s not ideal. 

Brady’s shoulder injury means UConn is down to just two true forwards, putting extra pressure on the guards to crash the boards and hold things down defensively.On the flip side, St. John’s seems to be at full strength with no significant injury concerns. 

That’s one less thing for them to worry about as they look to pull off an upset.

Projected starting lineups

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UConn

Paige Bueckers (G)

Azzi Fudd (G)

Sarah Strong (F)

Kaitlyn Chen (G)

Jana El Alfy (C)

St. John’s

Lashae Dwyer (G)

Ber’Nyah Mayo (G)

 Phoenix Gedeon (F)

Jaliah Donald (G)

Kylie Lavelle (F)

Paige Buekcers & Co. gear up for rematch: Has anything changed ?

This isn’t the first time these two teams have faced off this season. UConn already took care of business back on Jan. 15 in Queens, beating St. John’s 71-45. That game was particularly notable because it was Paige Bueckers’ first game back after a brief injury absence back in January, and she made her presence felt with 12 points. 

Azzi Fudd chipped in with 13, and the Huskies handled the Red Storm with ease. Since that loss, St. John’s has gone 2-4 in Big East play, with wins over Providence and Xavier. They most recently suffered a heartbreaking 57-55 loss to Marquette, a game where they fought back from a 15-point deficit but couldn’t quite complete the comeback. 

Despite their record, the Red Storm have been hanging tough in conference play, with their last four losses coming by an average of just 3.75 points. That’s a sign that they’re keeping things competitive, even if the results aren’t always going their way.

If you love defense, this matchup might be right up your alley. UConn leads the Big East in scoring defense, allowing just 52.6 points per game. But St. John’s is right behind them. The Red Storm hold teams to an average of 55.09 points per game and rank third in the conference in both 3-point field goal defense (opponents shoot just 30.2% from deep) and steals per game (8.78). 

Senior guard Lashae Dwyer leads the entire Big East in steals with 2.91 per game, while UConn’s Sarah Strong is right behind her with 2.32. Expect plenty of defensive intensity in this one.

And with just a few weeks left in the regular season, UConn wants to keep rolling before their big showdown with the defending champions South Carolina. Will they take care of business against St. John’s, or will the Red Storm make things interesting? 

We’ll find out soon enough.