GETTING INSIDE
Any questions about whether St. John’s strong non-conference showing was a fluke was answered Thursday night as the Red Storm held its own against one of the Big East’s best teams on the road in its conference opener.
St. John’s hung with No. 13 Georgetown until the final minutes before falling 66-59. The loss dropped the Red Storm to 10-3, its other losses coming against Duke and Cornell.
Now St. John’s must prove it can beat the weaker teams in the conference if it is to make some noise in the Big East. The Red Storm hasn’t had a winning record in the conference since 2001-02 and has had only one winning record overall in coach Norm Roberts’ first five seasons.
St. John’s can take a step in being a factor in the Big East by beating Providence (8-5, 0-1) at home on Sunday afternoon. The Friars have won 11 of the past 13 meetings, but St. John’s should beat them this season.
Providence rolled to a 75-54 home victory over St. John’s last season on New Year’s Eve as Sharaud Curry had 16 points and eight assists, and Marshon Brooks had 15 points. Sean Evans led St. John’s with 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Paris Horne also had 16 points.
Georgetown 66, St . JOHN’S 59: Dwight Hardy scored a team-high 14 points, including a 3-pointer that gave St. John’s its last lead at 54-53. Georgetown (10-1, 1-0) then went on a 13-5 run to end the game. D.J. Kennedy added 11 points for the Red Storm, and Justin Brownlee finished with 10.
NOTES, QUOTES
• The game against Bryant on Dec. 23 was promoted as Ugly Holiday Sweater Night. Fans wearing their least flattering finery got in with a $10 ticket and were eligible for prizes. The idea honored former coach Lou Carnesecca, who was legendary for his sweaters during his Hall of Fame coaching career.
• A pair of walk-ons took advantage of their opportunities in the Bryant game to get into the scoring column for the first time. Kevin Clark and John Taubeneck each scored the first points of their college careers in the victory.
January At A Glance: The next step for the Red Storm is to get into the top half of the Big East standings. St. John’s opened conference play at traditional rival Georgetown, but then get three of their next four games at home against Providence, Cincinnati and DePaul. The games against the Friars and Blue Demons are at Carnesecca Arena, and the on-campus home of the Red Storm should be hopping.
Quote To Note: “I knew it would happen for me eventually. I knew I would have to stay with it and it would come.”—St. John’s guard Paris Horne told the New York Daily News, after emerging from a shooting slump by going 5-6 from beyond the arc against Bryant.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
Season Recap: As the team entered Big East play, there were more reasons for optimism than at any time in the Norm Roberts era. The only two non-conference losses were to Duke and Cornell, with the latter the best Ivy League team in recent memory. Among the victories are a seven-point win over a Temple squad that has since risen into the Top 25, and a 10-point victory over Georgia in the SEC/Big East Invitational.
Player Rotation: Usual Starters—F D.J. Kennedy, F Sean Evans, G Paris Horne, G Dwight Hardy, G Malik Boothe. Key Subs—F Dele Coker, F Justin Brownlee, G/F Omari Lawrence, G Malik Stith, F Rob Thomas.
Game Review:
Cornell 71, St. John’s 66
St. John’s 80, Bryant 44
Georgetown 66, St. John’s 59
Game Preview:
vs. Providence, Sunday, Jan. 3
at Louisville, Saturday, Jan. 9
vs. Cincinnati, Wednesday, Jan. 13
vs. DePaul, Sunday, Jan. 17
On The Spot: F D.J. Kennedy matched his season low with 11 points in Thursday night’s loss to Georgetown. The Red Storm will need more production than that from Kennedy if it plans to be competitive in the Big East.
Roster Report:
• F Justin Burrell returned to action Thursday after missing the previous five games with a sprained ankle. Burrell played 23 minutes off the bench and had nine points, three rebounds and two assists. He started the first seven games of the season before being injured.
• G Malik Boothe’s status for Sunday’s game against Providence is questionable after he suffered a strained groin during Thursday night’s game. Boothe played 16 minutes and did not score.
• G Anthony Mason Jr., who has been sidelined by a hamstring injury, dressed for a game for the first time all season Thursday but he did not see action. He could see some limited minutes off the bench Sunday against Providence.
• The loss of Quincy Roberts to a medical redshirt and the continued injury woes suffered by Anthony Mason Jr. has provided an opportunity for freshman Omari Lawrence. The swingman has lost 10 pounds already this season and has reportedly spent extra time working on his shooting to contribute early in his Red Storm career.
