Get ready, New York basketball fans—an old-school Big East rivalry is about to light up Madison Square Garden once again.
According to reports from college hoops insider Jon Rothstein, St. John’s and Syracuse are finalizing a deal to meet at the World’s Most Famous Arena for a non-conference showdown next season. While an official date is still being worked out, the buzz is already electric for what would be the first meeting between these former conference foes at MSG in over a decade.
For the Red Storm, this matchup would be the crown jewel of an already loaded non-conference schedule. St. John’s is reportedly set to host Arizona at the Garden on December 5, then travel to face Alabama in Birmingham on December 12. They'll also return to the Players’ Era Festival in Las Vegas, joining a stacked 16-team field that includes Alabama, Baylor, Creighton, Gonzaga, Iowa State, Kansas State, Louisville, Maryland, Miami (FL), Michigan, Oregon, San Diego State, Tennessee, TCU, and Texas Tech.
The all-time series heavily favors Syracuse, 51-41, but the Johnnies have owned the rivalry since the Orange left the original Big East in 2013. St. John's has won four of the last five meetings, including a thrilling 76-69 overtime victory in the 2022 Legends Classic championship at Barclays Center. That game marked the final season for both coaches, Mike Anderson and Jim Boeheim, and featured a career-high 23 points from the ever-unpredictable Andre Curbelo.
The last time these two teams squared off at Madison Square Garden was December 13, 2015—Chris Mullin's first season leading his alma mater. On that night, Federico Mussini, Amar Alibegović, and Durand Johnson combined for 11 three-pointers to power St. John's to an 84-72 upset win over Syracuse.
This time around, all eyes will be on Syracuse rising sophomore Kiyan Anthony, who will play in the same arena where his father, Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony, built his legend with the Knicks. But there's another compelling subplot: St. John's new forward Donnie Freeman, a former McDonald's All-American, will face his old team for the first time since transferring from Syracuse this offseason.
Whether you're repping Red Storm red or Orange, this is the kind of classic New York hoops matchup you won't want to miss. Mark your calendars and get your gear ready—the Big East rivalry is back at the Mecca.