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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 sent off from the match.
Providence forward Duncan Powell caused an uproar 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, causing chaos.
Players from both sides quickly entered the fray, and eventually, St. John’s bench players couldn’t contain themselves and joined in. The coaches, referees and security tried to stop the pushing and shoving from both sides.
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Duncan Powell (31) of the Providence Friars fouls Bryce Hopkins (23) of the St. John’s Red Storm at 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 were ejected and two Providence players were ejected. Providence’s Jaylin Sellers and Powell were ejected, while Dillon Mitchell, Ruben Prey, Sadiku Ibine Ayo and Kelvin Odih were the St. John’s ejected 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) of the 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, February 14, 2026. (M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
St. John’s saw a 13-point lead disappear when the hard foul occurred. After the hard foul, St. John’s went 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 stops as head coach. Pitino led Providence to the 1987 Final Four.
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Rick Pitino of the 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, February 14, 2026. (M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Red Storm, ranked No. 5 in The Associated Press preseason poll, fell from the rankings after opening the season 7-4, losing to three ranked opponents and Kentucky. They re-entered the rankings at number 25 three weeks ago and have continued to climb since then.
