No Love Lost: St. John’s and Providence Turn Valentine’s Day into a Brawl

If you were looking for heartwarming Valentine’s Day vibes on Saturday, the Amica Mutual Pavilion was absolutely the wrong place to be.

Instead of chocolates and roses, college basketball fans got a heavy dose of old-school Big East animosity as St. John’s took down Providence 79-69. But let’s be honest—nobody is going to remember the final score of this one tomorrow. They’re going to be talking about the 19-minute delay, the six ejections, and the absolute chaos that erupted when emotions finally boiled over.

It was supposed to be a basketball game with St. John’s vs Providence. It turned into a masterclass in bad blood, fueled by a hostile homecoming and a student section that, according to Rick Pitino, forgot why they were there in the first place.

The Homecoming from Hell for Bryce Hopkins

The script was written before the tip-off. Bryce Hopkins, the former Providence standout who packed his bags for St. John’s, was returning to his old stomping grounds. In the world of college hoops, transfers are common, but the bitterness of a fan base scorned is eternal.

The Providence faithful were ready. They had the chants, they had the vitriol, and they were relentless. Hopkins, to his credit, was letting his game do the talking. He was putting up numbers—finishing with 13.8 points and grabbing boards—playing the villain role to perfection.

But you could feel the tension in the arena. It was thick enough to cut with a knife, and with 14:26 left in the second half, the knife finally slipped.

The Foul That Emptied the Benches

Here’s the breakdown of the moment that derailed the broadcast.

St. John’s was running a fast break—the kind of play that usually ends in a highlight reel dunk or a quick layup. Hopkins caught a pass and went to the rim. Enter Duncan Powell. The Providence transfer, who’s had his own journey from Georgia Tech and Sacramento State, didn’t just go for the block. He went for the man.

It was a hard foul. A really hard foul. The kind that makes you wince even on the replay. Powell slammed into Hopkins mid-air, sending the St. John’s forward crashing to the hardwood.

Now, in 2026, we know the unwritten rules. You hit a guy that hard, you better expect a reaction. Hopkins bounced up like he was on springs and got right in Powell’s grill. That was the match in the powder keg.

Suddenly, it wasn’t five-on-five anymore. It was a scrum. Jerseys were being pulled, shoves were exchanged, and the officials were frantically trying to separate giant human beings who had zero interest in being separated. It was the kind of scene that makes producers nervous and Twitter users ecstatic.

The 19-Minute Review: A Test of Patience

If the fight was high-octane drama, what followed was a test of endurance. The officials went to the monitor. And they stayed there.

For 19 agonizing minutes, the zebras reviewed every angle, frame by frame, probably trying to figure out who threw a punch, who left the bench, and who was just trying to play peacemaker. You could have filed your taxes, walked the dog, and made a sandwich in the time it took them to sort out the mess.

When the dust finally settled, the box score looked like a casualty list.

Six players were tossed. Duncan Powell got hit with a Flagrant 2 (obviously). Providence also lost Jaylin Sellers—a massive blow considering he’s their leading scorer at over 17 points a game. On the St. John’s side, the locker room got crowded early. Dillon Mitchell, Kelvin Odih, and Ruben Prey were all sent packing. Depending on which report you read, either Lefteris Liotopoulos or Sadiku Ibine Ayo also got the gate.

It was a veritable exodus.

Rick Pitino Calls Out the Culture

Rick Pitino has seen everything. The man coached in the 80s Big East; he knows what physical basketball looks like. But what he saw on Saturday clearly left a bad taste in his mouth—and it wasn’t just the fight.

In the post-game presser, Pitino didn’t hold back regarding the atmosphere in Providence.

“If they’re just here to poke fun at Bryce Hopkins and not get a win for the Friars, that’s not the Friars I remember in ’87,” Pitino said.

That is a scathing indictment coming from a Hall of Famer. He essentially told the crowd they were more interested in trolling a transfer than supporting their own struggling team. And he has a point. When the crowd loses its mind, the players feed off that toxic energy.

Pitino also defended his squad’s reaction. “You’re not supposed to come off the bench, but you can’t let your players get beat up,” he noted. It’s the classic coach’s dilemma: follow the rules, or protect your family? Pitino, as always, sides with his guys.

The Aftermath: Two Teams Heading in Opposite Directions

Once the theatrics ended, a game was actually finished.

St. John’s is officially a wagon. They’ve won 10 straight. They are 19-5, sitting pretty at 12-1 in the conference, and they just proved they can win an ugly, emotional street fight on the road. This is a team peaking at the exact right time.

Providence? It’s a different story. They’re sitting at 11-14. The NCAA tournament is a pipe dream unless they pull off a miracle in the conference tournament. Losing their leading scorer to an ejection—and potentially a suspension, depending on what the league office sees on tape—is just salt in the wound.

Saturday was a reminder that while the names on the jerseys change, the Big East never really changes. It’s gritty, it’s emotional, and sometimes, it’s a total brawl like it was for St. John’s.