Liam McNeeley had 18 points for UConn (16-7, 8-4). Solo Ball had 13 points, while Tarris Reed Jr. had 12 points and 15 rebounds.
McNeeley, who missed the previous eight games with an ankle injury, had four points in a 6-0 run by UConn to put the Huskies up by six with 11:16 left in the second half. The Huskies couldn't build on it as St. John's regained the lead on back-to-back jumpers by Luis and Richmond.
Ball and Stewart scored eight points each as UConn jumped out to an early 21-8 lead. With the Huskies up by 14, Deivon Smith had a four-point play to begin an 8-0 run by St. John's. The Red Storm took the lead for the first time on a basket by Wilcher with 2:29 left in the first half.
St. John's led 37-35 at halftime.
Ben Gordon, who played for the Huskies from 2001-04 and was a member of a national championship team in his junior season, was inducted into the Huskies of Honor at halftime.
Takeaways
St. John's: The Red Storm won despite missing 11 shots in a row during one stretch in the second half.
UConn: Ball and Stewart got off to impressive shooting starts, but failed to score in the second half after combining for 22 points in the first half.
Key moment
With UConn leading by four, Richmond had a pair of baskets during a 6-0 run to take the lead. The Red Storm would score 12 points in a row.
Key stat
There were 20 points scored off turnovers, and 18 were scored by St. John's.
Up next
St. John's: Plays at Villanova on Wednesday.
UConn: At Creighton on Tuesday.
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