The Reset Worked: How Providence Shocked St. John’s and Started 2026 Undefeated
The Providence Friars are 1-0 in 2026.
After being listed as 12.5-point underdogs going into the game and being down 13 points to start the contest, the Friars found a way to get the job done and start the new year off undefeated.
Below we revisit keys to the game in the game preview article and break down how the Friars were able to get the victory.
Front Court Duo of Ejiofor & Hopkins
Providence was able to limit Hopkins to only nine points on 3/13 shooting from the field and 1/5 from three, credit to Jamier Jones for his defense on Hopkins and his personal taking of the assignment.
"I feel like if he was here this year I should still play over him" said Jones in the postgame press conference.
While Hopkins was quiet in his first game against his former team, Ejiofor was able to make Madison Square Garden roar time and time again to the tune of 33 points 15 rebounds, tying his career high in points and making him only the second Division I player in the 2025-2026 season to reach at least 30 points and 15 rebounds in a game.
Even with Ejiofor having a career afternoon, the 14 points he scored from the charity stripe, and the 26 fouls that Providence committed throughout the contest the Friars were able to hold the Red Storm scoreless from the field for the final three minutes of the game.
That is something this team has not been able to do all season until now and especially something a team coached under English has consistently been able to do during his tenure, signaling a possible turning point in the season especially on the defensive end of the floor.
Holding the Johnnie's to 71 points on the day even with Ejiofor's breakout performance is encouraging as St. John's scores 85.4 points per game, good for 59th in the country. Shoutout the defense for holding them to 20/71 (28%) from the field and 7/31 (23%) from behind the arc. The zone defense and adjustment by English worked, now keep it up Kim!
Stefan Vaaks Is Back on Track
Limiting Ejiofor and Hopkins was my biggest defensive key in this game which happened to a certain extent regarding Hopkins' performance, not so much for Ejiofor but I digress.
Offensively however, it was to get Stefan Vaaks going early and often as going into the game he was shooting a grim 5/30 from three.
While Vaaks was able to shoot 4/6 from three in this game, it did not take him until the second half to do so. If you were to tell me this before the game I would have told you that the game probably would have been over by then, but it was Vaaks who was able to take over the game late offensively to seal the victory for the Friars.
Furthermore, over the last 2:28 of the game the Estonian star sank an and one three and made the free throw to cut the lead down to one. Not only this, but Vaaks connected on his third three of the game and gave the Friars a 72-70 lead with 1:57 left.
The icing on the cake was Vaaks scoring on a transition layup with 11 seconds left in the half as Providence held a 77-71 lead at the final buzzer.
Special players make special plays in special moments, Stefan Vaaks is one of them. Cherish him while he's here folks, better late than never I guess.
New Identity Found
Going into the game, Providence had 15 days to reset and get right. After the game, English even mentioned Indiana head football coach Curt Cignetti as an example of having his team prepared to play in the Rose Bowl game against Alabama after having 26 days off.
Providence was not able to have the luxury of another 11 days off between their game against Seton Hall and St. John's and the 38-3 blowout victory that the Hoosiers had over the Tide as they found themselves down 13 right after tip off, but in the end that is ultimately what Providence needed to find their identity.
So many teams this season we have seen a lack of effort on the defensive end of the floor which has cost Providence numerous games this season, until this one where a scuffle between English, Hopkins, Jones, Ejiofor, and Duncan Powell in the first half was enough to light a fire within the Friars and do whatever it took to win.
Big shoutout to Jamier Jones here as he was the one who was tasked with guarding Hopkins and did an excellent job, he set the tone defensively as a freshman and his crucial plays down the stretch including a beautiful spin move on Hopkins which sent him to the hardwood floor played a difference in this one.
If the Friars can keep this energy and defensive intensity and effort the rest of the way, the season very well may not be over just yet as many may think at the moment.
After all, after the first ball drop of the new year for Providence they find themselves undefeated. Maybe all they really did need was a reset for them to pick up their best and signature win of the season thus far, and one of if not the best of English's tenure.
The game felt like a preview of the Big East tournament, and hopefully a preview of what is to come for the Friars. UConn awaits Wednesday night at home which will be another massive game in determining the trajectory of the rest of the season, but for now Friartown can celebrate and enjoy this one like it's New Year's Eve all over again.