St. John's University is on the cusp of a historic basketball season in which the Big East championship is likely heading to the home of the Red Storm.

Sunday's 89-75 triumph at Madison Square Garden over the Uconn Huskies was equally historic. The Johnnies swept their rivals for the first time since the 1999-2000 season, and in doing so, moved closer to claiming their first outright regular season title since 1985.

Earlier this season, St. John's pulled off a six-point win in Storrs, Conn., but Coach Rick Pitino wasn't happy with his team's performance.

However, Sunday's showdown in the Garden was a different story. Despite a brief UConn surge in the second half where they got hot from three-point range, St. John's was in control for most of the game.

The Red Storm's offense was firing on all cylinders, with five players scoring in double figures. Kadary Richmond and Zuby Ejiofor led the way, each scoring 18 points.

Richmond also contributed four assists, two blocks, and two steals, while Ejiofor added nine rebounds and six assists.

RJ Luis , who was a game-time decision, started and chipped in 14 points, and Deivon Smith finished with 12 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds. The Johnnies shot over 40% from three-point range for the second consecutive game, continuing their strong offensive form.

UConn impacted by poor shooting

UConn struggled to find its rhythm. The Huskies committed 18 turnovers, which led to 24 points for St. John's.

Freshman sensation Liam McNeeley , who was returning from an ankle injury, struggled, making just 2 of 13 shots from the field. Sophomore Solo Ball wasn't much better, shooting 5 of 13.

Pitino's game plan came together perfectly in the first half. St. John's hit eight of 16 three-pointers and was nearly flawless from the free-throw line.

The Johnnies forced nine UConn turnovers and went on a 16-2 run to take a commanding 50-32 lead into halftime. Though UConn briefly cut the lead to nine points in the second half with a 13-5 run, St. John's responded with timely scoring and solid defense, pushing the lead back to 16.

The win puts St. John's (24-4, 15-2) in prime position to clinch at least a share of the Big East title with a win over Butler on Wednesday.

With their impressive performance against UConn , the Johnnies are proving to be a serious contender for the national championship, and their fans are eagerly anticipating the next chapter in this historic season.