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No. 17 St. John’s earned its 11th straight victory with a 79-69 victory over Providence on Saturday at Amica Mutual Pavilion, but not without some fireworks.
Six players were ejected from the game.
Providence forward Duncan Powell sparked a brouhaha with a hard foul on St. John’s Bryce Hopkins. Powell stood over him after the foul and Hopkins got up and charged at Powell, igniting the mayhem.
Players from both sides quickly got into the game and eventually the players from St. John’s bench did not hold back and joined. Coaches, referees and security guards tried to break up the pushing and shoving from both sides.
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Duncan Powell (31) of Providence Friars commits assault against Bryce Hopkins (23) of St. John’s Red Storm at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, RI, February 14, 2026. (M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
After the game was delayed nearly 20 minutes, four St. John’s players ejected, while two from Providence were ejected. Jaylin Sellers and Powell of Providence were ejected, while Dillon Mitchell, Ruben Prey, Sadiku Ibine Ayo and Kelvin Odih were St. John’s players.
The delay was so long that players from each team were warming up at their own baskets.
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Zuby Ejiofor (24) from St. John’s Red Storm and Jaylin Sellers (2) of the Providence Friars exchange words during a melee after a hard foul by Duncan Powell (31) of the Providence Friars (not pictured) at Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, RI, on February 20. (M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
St. John’s saw a 13-point lead disappear when the foul occurred. After the hard mistake, St. John’s on an 8-0 run and never looked back.
For St. John’s head coach Rick Pitino it was a return to one of his previous head coaching stops. Pitino led Providence to the 1987 Final Four.
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Rick Pitino of St. John’s Red Storm and Kim English of the Providence Friars try to end the melee after a hard foul by Duncan Powell (31) of the Providence Friars (not pictured) at Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, RI on February 14, 2026. (M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Red Storm, ranked No. 5 in The Associated Press preseason poll, fell out of the rankings after opening the season 7-4 and losing to three ranked opponents and Kentucky. They re-entered the rankings at No. 25 three weeks ago and have been climbing ever since.
