STORRS – The No. 19 UConn men's basketball team (16-6, 8-3 BIG EAST) is back in action for a huge home tilt on Friday night in the Basketball Capital of the World when it hosts league-leading No. 12 St. John's (20-3, 11-1 BIG EAST) at Gampel Pavilion. The Friday night spotlight will air on FOX at 8 p.m. with Gus Johnson and Jim Jackson on the call.

Friday's contest will include UConn joining with the BIG EAST to honor the Black Fives. It is also a $2 Miller Lite Night, while supplies last. Please drink responsibly.  

UConn and St. John's will rekindle a rivalry that dates back to 1951 – one the Red Storm hold a narrow 37-34 all-time lead in. Since UConn returned to the BIG EAST ahead of the 2020-21 season they have gone 6-2 against the Red Storm, including all three meetings last season. Friday night will be the first ranked match-up in the series since 2000 and the first at Gampel Pavilion since 1992.

The Huskies have gone 3-0 against ranked opponents this season including a top-10 win in their last outing at Marquette on Saturday.  Solo Ball had a career day against the Golden Eagles, knocking down seven 3-pointers in a 25-point, 11-rebound double-double. Ball is tied for the team-high this season with 15.0 points per game and has shot 45.6 percent from 3-point range – good for sixth best in the nation. Alex Karaban joins him atop the scoresheet with 15.0 points per game and adds 5.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.8 blocked shots. Karaban was named to the Midseason Wooden Award Watch List last month and to the Karl Malone Award Top 10 List this week.

Hassan Diarra is second in the BIG EAST and 11^th nationally in assists per game, dishing out 6.4 per contest to trigger UConn's top-10 offense. The Huskies are among the national leaders in field goal percentage, effective field goal percentage, assists per game, assist/turnover ratio and free throw percentage. UConn has been without freshman star Liam McNeeley for the last eight games, but he is expected to return on Friday. McNeeley averages 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.

St. John's is off to its best start in over 20 years with a 20-3 record and an 11-1 mark in BIG EAST play. RJ Luis Jr. leads the Red Storm with 17.4 points per game while Zuby Ejiofor (14.3 ppg, 8.3 rpg) and Kadary Richmond (12.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 4.9 apg) also score in double-figures. The Red Storm are among the league leaders in field goal percentage defense, blocked shots, turnover margin and rebounding margin and have the No. 4 defense in the nation per Kenpom defensive efficiency.

Following Friday night's primetime showdown the Huskies head to Omaha to face Creighton on Tuesday, Feb. 11.