Addressing Lavin’s Negatives

Steve Lavin has been the center of attention for college basketball this offseason (Redstormsports)

Previously on the East Coast Bias: Steve Lavin: the solution or the question | Welcome new St. John’s head coach, Steve Lavin Originally posted at the East Coast Bias. For a struggling program, the best coach in the program is often the new coach. The new coach is the hero on the white horse, riding in on a wave of plaudits and good will, wiping the slate of losses clean from the old regime. Everything is new and rosy; and in that light, one can understand why St. John's is so very, very excited about the acquisition of Steve Lavin. It's the hope of a charismatic coach, the infusion of money by the St. John's administration into the program, a new face with a history of winning games and recruiting name players. Steve Lavin is … [Read more...]

Second Season

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We're playing for him, we're playing for the team, we playing for ourselves. We just want to pull out these victories. - Anthony Mason Jr. The season isn't over yet! Last week saw a disappointing loss in the second round of the Big East Tournament to the Marquette Golden Eagles. It was a closely fought contest that saw some of the best the Red Storm had to offer on the basketball court, and some of the worst in their first half struggle to score. The Red Storm program swirled with questions about the coach's future. But as of now, there is no word on a coaching change; and the team was selected for the National Invitation Tournament as a 6th seed, starting off on the road against the Memphis Tigers.  It's an opportunity for the team … [Read more...]

Second Round Means Revenge

Sean Evans dunks in two of the 19 points that helped give him his 10th-career double-double. (RedStormSports.com)

Ambiance: Jay-Z, On to the Next One Malik Boothe after the win vs. U Conn: "I don't know if [the win over Connecticut] removes the frustration. I know it was a good win today. We also can't celebrate on this win. Last year we were in the same position going against the same team in the next round, and they pretty much had their way with us. We have to have the same focus tomorrow." Surprise, surprise. St. John's didn't squeeze out a win. The Johnnies eviscerated the poor-shooting, weak-willed Huskies in a performance that made the viewers do a double-take, made the Husky faithful begin to think long and hard about their coach and team, and made a subset of the Red Storm fans giddy. Personally, however I feel about the direction of the … [Read more...]

Tournament Time

Huddle at DePaul

Time for the Big East tournament, the last chance for St. John's to get in the NCAAs.  More on the teams below. And, can they extend the season with a win against Connecticut, a team they haven't beaten since 2002? Game Information Tip Off: 2:00 PM, Tuesday, March 9 Location: Madison Square Garden TV: ESPN Radio: Bloomberg 1130/ WSJU Team Reviews Connecticut (17-14, 7-11) 15 PG Kemba Walker SO 6′1 172: 14.9 ppg* 5.1 apg* 4.2 rpg* 2.1 spg* 6 FT att/g 11 G Jerome Dyson SR 6′3 190: 17.7 ppg* 4.4 apg* 4.5 rpg* 1.4 spg* 6.6 FT Att/ g 21 F Stanley Robinson SR 6′9 220: 14.9 ppg* 7.6 rpg* 1.2 bpg 33 F Gavin Edwards SR 6′10 230: 10.7 ppg* 6.5 rpg* 2.1 bpg 5 F Ater Majok FR 6′11 233: 15.1 mpg* 2.4 ppg* 3.1 rpg* 1.6 … [Read more...]

Out Like a Lion

mase vs uconn BET

Ambiance: Ozzy Osbourne, Bark at the Moon (video link, pops up in a new window) Justin Burrell (from the NY Daily News), after the Syracuse game: "I understand why people say we haven't improved," junior forward Justin Burrell said. "I believe (we have) in my heart, but I guess the facts say (we're) not." In an effort to avoid a .500 or below record - and to match last season's Big East win total - the Red Storm need to win the regular season finale at Allstate Arena in lovely Chicago-Adjacent (also known as Rosemont), against the 1-15 DePaul Blue Demons. This matchup might be a dog - the 13th or 14th team in the league, depending on Rutgers' result tonight, vs. the 16th. But this is a game that the Red Storm should win. Can they shake … [Read more...]

Loose in the Cuse

Ambiance: Fall Out Boy, Sugar We're Going Down (video link, pops up in a new window) Coach Norm Roberts - Pregame Quotes: “We’re capable of it. We have to play 40 minutes. Syracuse is a great basketball team and doesn’t make many mistakes. We need to make shots and defend their players inside. Everything they do stems from their big guys keeping balls alive. We have to neutralize their big guys. They want to get the ball inside. Dele Coker and Justin Burrell should start for us tomorrow in a big lineup.” Closing down the regular season are two road matchups - one in snowy Syracuse, and one in chilly Chicago. First is a matchup against the now consensus number 1 ranked Syracuse Orange in the Carrier Dome, where thousands of orange … [Read more...]

Wishin' and Hopin'

Ambiance: Skee-Lo, I Wish (video link, pops up in a new window) Coach Norm Roberts - On advice for his team going forward: "We will continue to play the way we have been playing. We will win our share. Some will go our way. We have to continue to play hard." The Red Storm were close, so close to an upset win over Marquette, one of the top-8 teams in the conference. A win would have had St. John's at 6-9 in the Big East, and in spitting distance of this year's parity - in 12th place, but a game back of the 8th-11th teams. For all the gnashing of teeth and the losses, St. John's is not only competitive, but has an outside chance at the NIT with a lot of breaks. One wonders what would have happened if St. John's could have beaten … [Read more...]

Soaring Storm?

Ambiance: Freda Payne, Band of Gold (video link, pops up in a new window) On Wednesday evening, St. John's returns to action after a decisive victory at the Sun Dome against the South Florida Bulls... who found their resurgence cut short. The Red Storm hope to continue their spoiler ways and hopefully, cobble together enough wins to see a postseason berth. Is it possible? Sure. Is it feasible? Ask after the upcoming stretch of games against the better teams in the league, Marquette, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse. St. John's (favorably) has the Golden Eagles and Panthers at home, and they have already faced the Pittsburgh squad. But unlike the last 4 opponents, these teams have tended to execute well this year. Marquette, in particular, has … [Read more...]

Sunshowers

Ambiance: Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band, Sunshowers (video link, pops up in a new window. The source for a number of songs you may have heard) Well, maybe it's better to follow up the home loss to Seton Hall at Carnesecca Arena with a game at South Florida.  The weather's nicer, there are fewer hometown distractions and two of the Red Storm's 10 road wins in Norm Roberts' stewardship happened at the Sun Dome. But unlike the Bulls of old, South Florida is unlikely to cooperate with their role as the league's 98-pound weakling.  In fact, South Florida is one of the best stories in the Big East, a team rising to competitiveness from nothing.  A basketball team with very little tradition (and an 18-year drought from the NCAA … [Read more...]

Carnesecca Curse is Killed

NEW YORK -- Things couldn't have been any bleaker for Seton Hall. There was a 20-minute delay at the start because of a broken shot clock. The Pirates were on the road, where they hadn't won yet in the Big East. They were playing St. John's at Carnesecca Arena rather than Madison Square Garden. Their backup point guard and senior leader was out with a wrist injury. Their leading scorer injured his shooting hand 12 minutes into the game. That's right. They won. Jeff Robinson had 16 points and nine rebounds to lead Seton Hall to a 59-50 victory over St. John's on Wednesday night. "This is one of my favorite wins of my lifetime," Pirates coach Bobby Gonzalez said. "We beat Florida in the NCAAs when I was at Manhattan. We beat Louisville … [Read more...]