New York ? There were two plays that drew almost all the attention Monday night after No. 14 Connecticut beat St. John’s 74-68 to snap a three-game road losing streak.

Neither was a high-wire, highlight reel dunk. Neither was a behind-the-back pass that draws oohs and aahs.

Both were rebounds — by one of the smallest players on the court.

Ben Gordon had 23 points, six assists and six rebounds, including those two big ones, to lead the Huskies.

“Can you believe those plays he makes? Diving on the floor, making a pass from there. He gets us a seven-point lead with them,” Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun said of the 6-foot-2 sophomore who leads the Huskies in scoring at 21.3 points per game.

Marcus Hatten made two free throws with 7:41 left to get the Red Storm to 57-55. Gordon missed a 3-pointer on the next possession but dived to the floor, got the loose ball and passed to Emeka Okafor, who hit a short hook shot.

After each team failed to score on its next possession, Hatten missed a 3-pointer as the shot clock ran out and Gordon emerged from a cluster of players under the basket with the rebound. He drove the length of the floor and missed a shot, but Shamon Tooles grabbed the rebound and was fouled. His three-point play gave Connecticut a 62-55 lead with 5:44 to go.

St. John’s never got closer than five points again.

Connecticut's Emeka Okafor elevates for a shot in the Huskies' 74-68 victory over St. John's. Monday's game was in New York.

“That’s UConn basketball,” Gordon said of the rebounds that turned the game. “Coach Calhoun has gotten his teams to do that for years. I’m not always going to be helping with my offense. It will sometimes be the little things, rebounding, playing defense. That was the difference tonight, a big play when we needed one.”

Okafor had 21 points, 13 rebounds and six blocked shots for the Huskies (13-3, 4-1 Big East), who improved to 2-3 on the road this season and snapped a three-game losing streak to St. John’s at Madison Square Garden.

Hatten had 26 points for the Red Storm (10-6, 3-3), who had won two straight and five of seven.