The St. John’s Men’s Basketball team will play the first-ever basketball game at the brand new UBS Arena when the Johnnies host Kansas as part of the 2021 BIG EAST-Big 12 Battle. Originally scheduled for Dec. 2, the contest has been moved to Friday, Dec. 3, at the state-of-the-art facility currently being constructed at Belmont Park. Game time and ticket information will be announced at a later date.
The future home of the New York Islanders will play host to one of the marquee games of the BIG EAST-Big 12 Battle. St. John’s is 1-0 in the inter-conference series following a victory over West Virginia at Madison Square Garden in 2019. That year, BIG EAST teams went 8-2 against the Big 12. Last season, the conferences split six games while four others were canceled due to COVID-19 concerns.
This year’s meeting will be the 14th all-time between the programs and the first since the 2000 Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at Madison Square Garden. St. John’s is 5-8 all-time against the Jayhawks in a series that dates back to 1950.
Head Coach Mike Anderson, the 2021 BIG EAST Coach of the Year, returns a core of letterwinners who helped lead St. John’s to a 16-11 overall record and fourth place finish in the BIG EAST last season. Julian Champagnie was named First Team All-BIG EAST and the conference’s Most Improved Player after becoming just the fourth player in program history to lead the league in scoring. Posh Alexander earned both BIG EAST Freshman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors while Dylan Addae-Wusu appeared in all 27 games and averaged 6.5 points per game during his rookie campaign. The trio will be joined by a highly regarded group of newcomers featuring six Division I transfers and three freshmen.
UBS Arena is a $1.1 billion multi purpose venue under construction adjacent to the Belmont Park racetrack. The world class entertainment venue, with its timeless and classic design, will bridge its iconic past with today’s advanced technology and amenities. In addition to being the new home to the famed New York Islanders Hockey Club, UBS Arena is designed with a sharp focus on music and will create special experiences for both artists and audiences. The state of the art arena, opening in the fall, will deliver an unmatched live entertainment experience with clear sightlines and premier acoustics to even more guests than ever before.
St. John’s Basketball season tickets are on sale now and are available by calling 1-888-GO-STORM or by visiting RedStormTix.com. Fans can also email redstormsports@stjohns.edu to secure their spot for the 2021-22 campaign.
For more information on the Red Storm Athletics Department fans are encouraged to click on the link seen here:
St. John’s University Athletics – Official Athletics Website (redstormsports.com)