This post also appeared on NBCSports.com’s CollegeBasketballTalk.

After a period of speculation that followed St. John’s season-ending loss in the Big East tournament, freshman forward Moe Harkless has made it official: he will hire an agent and head to the NBA draft.

The announcement came at a Monday afternoon press conference at Madison Square Garden in New York City, as Harkless sat alongside his mother, Rosa, and St. John’s head coach Steve Lavin.

“It has been my lifelong dream to play in the NBA, and I am excited to have that opportunity to make the jump,” Harkless said in a press release. “I would like to thank Coach Lavin, our staff and my teammates for being there for me throughout the whole season.”

Harkless was named the Big East Rookie of the Year and averaged 15.3 points and 8.3 rebounds for the Red Storm this past season. Against Providence, he set the scoring record for most point by a freshman in a Big East debut, hanging 32 points on the Friars.

The record was previously held by Allen Iverson and Troy Murphy.

Over the course of the season, Harkless developed more aggressiveness and learned to use the physical gifts that he was granted with his 6-8, 210-pound frame. At Cameron Indoor, he scored 30 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in a loss to Duke.

Scouts project Harkless will go anywhere from 13th to 25th in the first round and, despite his ability to pull out of the draft by April 10 under NCAA rules, he expressed his desire to gain representation and remain in the pool.

Though the Red Storm will be losing their best player, the move is positive for Steve Lavin’s recruiting efforts, especially in New York City.

Harkless came to St. John’s as a Top 50 player, but few saw him as a one-and-done. With his move to the NBA, Lavin can now use that as a recruiting tool to attract players who are looking to make the shift from high school to college to the NBA.

The Red Storm have two players committed to their 2012 class so far: Felix Balamou of Our Savior New American (NY) and ultra-athletic forward JaKarr Sampson of Brewster Academy (NH). Sampson returns to the Red Storm after being ruled ineligible at the beginning of the 2011 season. Lavin has made it known that he is looking to bring three more prospects on board during the spring signing period.

JaKarr Sampson is headed back to Queens.

After being ruled ineligible at the beginning of the 2011-12 school year, Sampson returned to Brewster Academy for a prep year.

Though he took time to look elsewhere, Brian Snow of Scout.com is reporting that Sampson will return to St. John’s in the fall of 2012.

He was being courted by Baylor, Kansas, Providence, and others.

Sampson is an ultra-athletic wing and the most important target for St. John’s in the Class of 2012. His commitment to return to Queens signals a turn for the better and fruits of labor for Steve Lavin’s inroads on the recruiting trail.

In the fall of 2011, in the wake of Nurideen Lindsey leaving the program and the decommitment of Darrick Wood, Norvel Pelle, Ricardo Gathers, and Sampson, himself, questions were raised about the direction of the program.

It took time, but the questions are being answered. All of the behind-the-scenes work by Lavin and his staff, as St. John’s completed its strong 2011-12 season, is culminating in this grand stage performance, beginning with Sampson’s recommitment.

Sampson was dominant at Brewster this past season, leading his team to a national championship and showing why he is more than worthy of the high-major interest he was garnering.

He is St. John’s third recruit for Steve Lavin in the Class of 2012. Felix Balamou committed last week, while Texas A&M transfer Jamal Branch will be eligible in the second semester of the 2012 season. Lavin has said that the Red Storm are looking to sign five players during the spring signing period.

NEW YORK– After a while, it looked like a foregone conclusion, but it became official on Tuesday night: Moe Harkless is the Big East Rookie of the Year.

Harkless received his award from Big East Commissioner John Marinatto on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, hours after the Red Storm’s season came to a close with a 73-59 loss to Pittsburgh.

He stepped to the podium after receiving the award and, with the stoic reservedness we’ve come to expect from the Queens native, he thanked the committee for his selection and his teammates for support, then paused.

“I really don’t know what else to say, man,” he said with a smile.

The 6-8 freshman averaged 15 points and almost nine rebounds for the Red Storm this season, notching 11 double-doubles and eclipsing the 20-point mark seven times.

For St. John’s, he is the second Big East Rookie of the Year in the program’s history.

As was expected, after the presentation, he was showered with questions about his future at St. John’s and a possible move to the NBA.

“I haven’t had a chance to sit down with my coaches, family, and teammates,” he said, maintaining that he is undecided about his future.

He was surrounded by his teammates as he took questions, and, as he explained one of his answers, someone yelled out, “One more year, Moe!”

Harkless’ decision will come in time. For now, it remains a waiting game.

Playing in the Big East tournament for the first time didn’t faze the all-freshman lineup for St. John’s. The Red Storm just ran into a buzzsaw.

After leading briefly during the opening half; the experience lacking in the 12th-seeded Red Storm (13-19) proved crucial, as Pittsburgh (17-15) ran away to a 73-59 victory in the first round of the Big East tournament. With the win, the Panthers advance to tomorrow’s second round; where they will meet Georgetown, while the long season endured by the Red Storm comes to a halt on their home court of Madison Square Garden.

“We had a lot of easy baskets that didn’t go in,” said assistant coach Mike Dunlap, who has filled in admirably for a recovering Steve Lavin. “The story was, we had plenty of good looks. We just couldn’t finish.”

While Pittsburgh plays on, St. John’s recovers from a trying season that we will review in our final batch of lasting impressions.

Lasting Impressions
- Given the hands they were dealt throughout the season; from Steve Lavin’s health to the multiple decommitments and departures, the Red Storm did more than just survive this season. Give St. John’s a lot of credit for not only staying the course, but competing harder than ever down the stretch even though the results never panned out in their favor.

- Two positive aspects come from this loss. First, God’sgift Achiuwa had arguably his strongest outing at the Garden, grabbing a career-high twelve rebounds. Second, single season rookie scoring leader D’Angelo Harrison posted his first career double-double with twelve points and ten rebounds.

- Legendary head coach Al McGuire once said that the best thing about freshmen is that they become sophomores. Given the talent on this team and their exposure to the beast that is the Big East, nothing but great things can be expected for a bright future in New York City.

- Finally, instead of awarding a game ball, we will instead award a season MVP honor that will be shared among two deserving candidates. D’Angelo Harrison was at times St. John’s most consistent scorer, but we would be remiss if we did not mention newly crowned conference Rookie of the Year Moe Harkless. The forward from Queens capped off his dominant freshman campaign with a 25-point performance that solidified his standing as either a potential pro prospect should he go down that road, or the next big star to come from the Big East. All in all; while it could have been better for the Red Storm, it could very well have been worse, and these players should be congratulated and applauded for a job well done after their unfortunate circumstances.

Seven days removed from a defeat that some people consider the downfall of the season, the Red Storm have a chance at redemption.

Opening the Big East tournament in the 2pm time slot for the fourth consecutive year, St. John’s squares off against Pittsburgh for the right to face Georgetown in the second round of the conference championship. The matinee tips off later today, and JohnnyJungle.com gets you ready for the postseason with the following information:

Date: Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Location: Madison Square Garden; New York, New York
Time: 2:00 PM EST
TV: ESPN2 (Dave Pasch, Doris Burke, Andy Katz)
Radio: WBBR 1130 AM (John Minko, Tim O’Toole)
Online: WSJURadio.org (Vince Ruffino, Jon Perez)

St. John’s Red Storm (13-18; 6-12, No. 12 seed)
Head Coach: Steve Lavin* (2nd season at STJ; 34-30, 179-108 overall)
*- Assistant coach Mike Dunlap will serve as interim coach while Lavin recovers from offseason prostate cancer surgery

Projected Starting Lineup:
G Phil Greene (6-2 Fr., 7.8 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 36% FG, 74% FT, 3.0 APG, 1.3 SPG)
G D’Angelo Harrison (6-3 Fr., 17.2 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 38% FG, 38% 3pt, 80% FT, 2.1 APG, 1.6 SPG)
F Amir Garrett (6-6 Fr., 7.3 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 44% FG, 58% FT, 1.2 APG, 1.4 SPG)
F Sir’Dominic Pointer (6-5 Fr., 6.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 40% FG, 55% FT, 1.6 APG, 1.5 SPG)
F Moe Harkless (6-8 Fr., 15.2 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 45% FG, 67% FT, 1.5 APG, 1.4 BPG, 1.6 SPG)

Key Reserves:
F God’sgift Achiuwa (6-8 Jr., 9.5 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 56% FG, 67% FT)

Keys To Victory:
- Revenge. With the exception of Cincinnati, the Red Storm have played better when facing an opponent for the second time this season. After being outscored 20-4 down the stretch against Georgetown, St. John’s played hard against the Hoyas the second time around; and after nearly losing on the road to DePaul, St. John’s used their press defense and transition game to overcome the Blue Demons at Carnesecca Arena. With the Panthers coming in off a hard-fought losing effort to Connecticut at Gampel Pavilion, the Red Storm can capitalize off the short turnaround if they can put their bitter loss to Rutgers in the past.

- Hometown coronation. It is expected that Moe Harkless will officially be named the Big East Rookie of the Year tomorrow, and the all-rookie team selection has risen to the occasion in big games. Harkless’ 32-point, 13-rebound domination of Providence in the conference opener and 30-point national coming-out party against Duke established him as a force to be reckoned with, and should have the advantage in the interior matchup against Pitt’s Dante Taylor and Talib Zanna.

- Past history. Although it has nothing to do with the Red Storm this season, here are some nuggets involving St. John’s and the Big East tournament:
- Three consecutive wins on their first day of competition (Georgetown 2009, Connecticut 2010, Rutgers 2011)
- Second consecutive season with at least one player recognized in conference awards (Dwight Hardy and Justin Burrell 2011, Moe Harkless and D’Angelo Harrison 2012)
- Second time in four years playing a team twice within seven days (Georgetown 2009)
- Fourth consecutive year playing in 2pm time slot
- Third time in four years in 12/13 matchup (won both other times: 2009, 2010)

And their opponent…

Pittsburgh Panthers (16-15, 5-13)
Head Coach: Jamie Dixon (9th season, 232-75)

Projected Starting Lineup:
G Travon Woodall (5-11 Jr., 11.5 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 43% FG, 37% 3pt, 87% FT, 6.1 APG)
G Ashton Gibbs (6-2 Sr., 15.4 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 39% FG, 33% 3pt, 86% FT, 2.3 APG)
F Lamar Patterson (6-5 So., 8.9 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 43% FG, 42% 3pt, 75% FT, 3.3 APG, 1.0 SPG)
F Nasir Robinson (6-5 Sr., 11.0 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 56% FG, 50% FT, 2.1 APG)
F Dante Taylor (6-9 Jr., 6.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 55% FG, 66% FT)

Key Reserves:
F J.J. Moore (6-6 So., 7.0 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 42% FG, 75% FT)
F Talib Zanna (6-9 So., 5.6 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 54% FG, 65% FT)
G John Johnson (6-1 Fr., 4.5 PPG, 0.7 RPG, 41% FG, 39% 3pt, 86% FT, 1.4 APG)

Keys To Victory:
- Madison Square Garden. Last year notwithstanding, Panthers fans have usually turned the Garden into a raucous atmosphere despite being the visiting team. If Pittsburgh can get the crowd in their favor from the outset, the atmosphere in the stands can approach the levels currently enjoyed at their home court of the Petersen Center.

- Give it to Gibbs. This will likely be the last time Ashton Gibbs faces the Red Storm, which will be a sad occasion for Pittsburgh fans. Over his four years, the New Jersey native has become a St. John’s killer; shooting 48 percent (24-for-50) from the field and 44 percent (12-for-27) from three-point range against the Johnnies, while also averaging 15.4 points per game in his five contests against St. John’s.

-Reverse the curse. Despite their relative success in drawing well at Madison Square Garden; Pittsburgh has only won one game there in the last four seasons, and that came in the regular season two years ago. Since becoming the second team to win four games in as many days when they won the Big East championship from the No. 7 seed in 2008, the Panthers have been a “one-and-done” team over each of the last three campaigns in the conference tournament. With losses to West Virginia, Notre Dame and Connecticut over the last three seasons, the Panthers are hoping the No. 13 (their seed in this year’s tournament) is as lucky for them as it was for former Pitt quarterback and NFL Hall of Famer Dan Marino, who just happens to be among the greatest players of all time.

So, Who Wins?
Recent history favors St. John’s; but the Red Storm come in off a two-game losing streak featuring a performance where they ran into a buzzsaw, and the other against a team that got a fortuitous final minute to escape their home court. Pittsburgh comes in with more to prove, looking to erase the stigma that comes from a season in which the Panthers lost an uncharacteristic seven home games. While it appears on paper that the winner of today’s game may not have much of a chance against Georgetown, nothing could be further from the truth. The Hoyas are vulnerable to midpack teams in the Big East, (see Seton Hall) and the experience the winner gains from playing the day before is invaluable. This matchup will be one in which St. John’s all-freshman lineup defines the moment by staying in contention for most of the game; but as it has in the past, their youth will catch up to them down the stretch as Pittsburgh pulls away to win convincingly.

Final Score: Pittsburgh 78, St. John’s 68

Twelve months later, the Scarlet Knights got their revenge.

Playing for the first time since the controversial finish in their Big East tournament matchup last season at Madison Square Garden; Rutgers (14-17, 6-12) got a tip-in emphatically slammed home by Dane Miller with 9.3 seconds left, (10 points, 10 rebounds) and drained two free throws on their ensuing possession to escape with a 61-58 victory over St. John’s (13-18, 6-12) in the regular season finale for both teams.

The Red Storm had two chances to win after Rutgers took the lead; but D’Angelo Harrison (17 points) missed a three-pointer with two seconds left that would have given St. John’s the lead, and narrowly missed a half-court heave that rimmed out as the buzzer sounded. With the win, Rutgers secured the No. 11 seed and a Tuesday night meeting with Villanova in the Big East tournament. St. John’s falls into the No. 12 hole with the loss; and will face Pittsburgh for the second time in seven days on Tuesday afternoon at 2pm, the fourth consecutive year that the Red Storm are playing in that time slot.

As St. John’s recovers and prepares for a rematch with Jamie Dixon and the Panthers, we leave you with lasting impressions from a rock fight in New Jersey.

Lasting Impressions
- Although the two teams each managed 42 rebounds, Rutgers attacked the lane more than St. John’s. “They absolutely beat us from pillar to post off the glass,” said assistant coach Mike Dunlap.

- Much to the credit of their all-freshman lineup, St. John’s played most of the second half with seemingly the whole team in foul trouble. In fact, Amir Garrett was the only Red Storm player who did not accumulate at least three personal fouls. “We were able to keep our guys in the game,” said Dunlap. “They were hanging on four (fouls) forever and a day.”

- Amir Garrett picked up nine rebounds last night, and the disparity between offense and defense was very impressive. Six of Garrett’s nine rebounds came on the offensive glass; and all of those half-dozen boards were picked up in a first half that could be best described as the basketball version of Friday evening traffic on the New Jersey Turnpike, with whistles stopping play nearly every other minute.

- Finally, Dane Miller picks up game ball honors. Not only did Miller provide Rutgers with the game-winning basket, but he also fought his way to a double-double to provide a positive end to what has been a junior campaign filled with maddening inconsistencies for a player once considered among the Big East’s rising stars. “It was a beautiful thing of execution,” said Rutgers coach Mike Rice when asked about the winning play after the game. “Something good happened finally. It’s a fitting moment, especially after how he (Miller) has played the last four weeks of the season.”

The last time St. John’s played Rutgers; almost a year ago today, this happened. This also happened.

Most of the personnel has changed in the last twelve months, and this time the two programs meet with just as much at stake as there was in last year’s Big East tournament matchup. Both teams can clinch the No. 11 seed in the Big East tournament with a win, while a Rutgers win could create a four-way tie for the eleventh spot if Pittsburgh and Villanova win as well. Madison Square Garden was the place to be a year ago; but Rutgers plays host this year for what is the biggest game of the season for either side, and one in which you can get your background information here before the opening tip tomorrow night.

Date: Saturday, March 3, 2012
Location: Louis Brown Athletic Center; Piscataway, New Jersey
Time: 8:00 PM EST
TV: MSG (Jim Barbar, John Celestand)
Radio: WBBR 1130 AM, (John Minko, Tim O’Toole) WOR 710 AM (Chris Carlin, Dick Lloyd)
Online: WSJURadio.org (Mike Rossillo, Kieran Lynch)

St. John’s Red Storm (13-17, 6-11)
Head Coach: Steve Lavin* (2nd season at STJ; 34-29, 179-107 overall)
*- Assistant coach Mike Dunlap will serve as interim coach while Lavin recovers from offseason prostate cancer surgery

Projected Starting Lineup:
G Phil Greene (6-2 Fr., 8.0 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 37% FG, 77% FT, 3.1 APG, 1.3 SPG)
G D’Angelo Harrison (6-3 Fr., 17.2 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 38% FG, 38% 3pt, 81% FT, 2.1 APG, 1.6 SPG)
F Amir Garrett (6-6 Fr., 7.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 43% FG, 58% FT, 1.1 APG, 1.3 SPG)
F Sir’Dominic Pointer (6-5 Fr., 6.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 40% FG, 57% FT, 1.6 APG, 1.6 BPG)
F Moe Harkless (6-8 Fr., 15.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 45% FG, 67% FT, 1.4 APG, 1.4 BPG, 1.7 SPG)

Key Reserves:
F God’sgift Achiuwa (6-8 Jr., 9.4 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 55% FG, 68% FT)

Keys To Victory:
- Sense of urgency. St. John’s can do no better than the No. 11 seed in the Big East tournament, but a loss can drop them as far as the No. 14 hole. Three spots can mean the difference between winning and losing on Tuesday at the Big East tournament, and the Red Storm are definitely talented enough to stand up to any team in the conference. The key will be taking advantage of the opportunity and defining the moment against a Rutgers team just as young as they are.

- Phil The Thrill. Phil Greene has really come into his own over the last several weeks, displaying that his transition from a pure shooter to combo guard to point guard is complete. Greene may very well move back off the ball next December once Texas A&M transfer Jamal Branch is eligible, but the Chicago native has done a great job as the main facilitator in the Red Storm offense to date. Along with D’Angelo Harrison, St. John’s has the decided edge in the backcourt against a Rutgers freshman unit still looking for some consistency.

- In the swing of things. Amir Garrett has also blossomed as the swingman in the Red Storm’s all-freshman lineup. His running layup provided the insurance needed to defeat Notre Dame last week, and his statistics continue to improve as he sees more minutes. If Garrett can hit mid-range shots and free throws, he will be near impossible to contain.

Welcoming the Red Storm on the banks of the Old Raritan is a team that will run through a flaming brick wall for its coach, who continues to get a lot out of a little.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights (13-17, 5-12)
Head Coach: Mike Rice (2nd season at RU; 28-34, 101-65 overall)

Projected Starting Lineup:
G Jerome Seagears (6-1 Fr., 7.8 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 41% FG, 34% 3pt, 77% FT, 2.5 APG)
G Eli Carter (6-2 Fr., 13.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 41% FG, 34% 3pt, 71% FT, 2.2 APG, 1.2 SPG)
F Dane Miller (6-6 Jr., 7.9 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 50% FG, 73% FT, 2.2 APG, 1.7 BPG, 1.2 SPG)
F Austin Johnson (6-8 Jr., 4.4 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 50% FG, 68% FT)
F Gilvydas Biruta (6-8 So., 10.0 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 46% FG, 35% [7/20] 3pt, 64% FT, 1.5 APG)

Key Reserves:
G Myles Mack (5-9 Fr., 9.9 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 39% FG, 34% 3pt, 78% FT, 2.0 APG, 1.5 SPG)
G Mike Poole (6-5 So., 6.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 41% FG, 36% 3pt, 80% FT, 1.3 APG, 1.3 SPG)
F Derrick Randall (6-8 Fr., 2.6 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 56% FG, 61% [14/23] FT)

Keys To Victory:
- Jekyll and Hyde. That’s the season in a nutshell for the Scarlet Knights. As impressive as their wins over Florida, Connecticut and Notre Dame were, their losses to Illinois State, LSU and DePaul were among the most demoralizing defeats Rutgers has endured this season. With the final seconds of their last game against the Red Storm still fresh in Mike Rice’s mind, expect Rutgers to come out a little more determined with the No. 11 seed still at stake in Tuesday’s opening round of the Big East tournament.

- Protect this house. The last time St. John’s came to the RAC, (two years and one month ago tonight) it was a day the Red Storm would like to forget. On that night, former Rutgers star and current Florida reserve Mike Rosario lit up the Johnnies for 31 points in a loss that proved to be the beginning of the end for former coach Norm Roberts, who is ironically now an assistant on the Florida team Rosario plays for.

- Big three. St. John’s may have a dynamic duo in the backcourt with Phil Greene and D’Angelo Harrison, but Rutgers has three guards who can score just as well as the visitors. The trio of Eli Carter, Jerome Seagears and Myles Mack have combined for 31 points, eight rebounds and seven assists per night; and if left open, each one will burn St. John’s and their matchup zone. Look for the Scarlet Knights to create separation inside that will force St. John’s to retreat back behind the line in attempts to give the Rutgers guards open looks.

So, Who Wins?
Each team has seemingly everything to gain and just as much to lose. In addition; while St. John’s is characteristic of every other Steve Lavin-coached team that gets better as the season progresses, Rutgers is a typical Mike Rice unit that is scrappy enough to the point where they just will not die at any point on the court. The Scarlet Knights’ last game against Villanova; one where they were down sixteen points at halftime only to lose by just six, is living proof. In what will be yet another defensive stalemate between the two squads; the Rocky Balboa of the Big East that is Rutgers will stand up to St. John’s, and will also punch back enough after taking a few shots to send themselves into the Big East tournament on a winning note.

Final Score: Rutgers 67, St. John’s 61

The most superstitious of fans sensed the worst when the Red Storm took to the court.

Wearing their alternate black uniforms; the same third jerseys that St. John’s has won a grand total of one game in over the program’s 104-year history, St. John’s (13-17, 6-11) was competitive in the first half before being done in over the final stanza in an 89-69 loss to Pittsburgh (16-14, 5-12) at the Petersen Center, where the Panthers are now 6-0 all time against New York City’s college team.

“We really wanted to play well for our seniors tonight,” said Pitt coach Jamie Dixon after four-year players Ashton Gibbs, (19 points to lead the Panthers) Travon Woodall and Nasir Robinson were honored prior to the opening tip. “We felt it was our last time with them playing here, and I’m happy we played so well.”

Despite yet another stellar performance from Gibbs; voted the Big East preseason player of the year, St. John’s rewrote its illustrious history when D’Angelo Harrison broke the single season record for most points scored by a freshman with his 21-point outing last night. Harrison’s latest 20-point game was enough to vault him past former Red Storm point guard Erick Barkley on the milestone list. “It’s a tremendous accomplishment,” said Harrison; “but I’d rather get a win for our team every night. Any guy on our team is capable of getting a record like that.”

The Red Storm conclude the regular season with a trip to New Jersey to face Rutgers in a matchup that will determine St. John’s seeding in the Big East tournament next week, which will be explained along with the game itself in our latest batch of lasting impressions.

Lasting Impressions
- Last night’s loss precluded St. John’s from securing the No. 9 seed in the Big East tournament. With a win Saturday night at Rutgers, the Red Storm will secure the No. 11 spot and a 9pm tipoff on Tuesday night. A loss could potentially drop them as far as the No. 14; which would also be in the 9pm game, but more likely into the 12/13 pairing that is showcased in the same 2pm time slot that St. John’s has drawn in each of the first three seasons under the current tournament format.

- St. John’s kept the game close in the first half, only trailing by five when Pittsburgh took a 38-33 lead into the locker room. From there, the Panthers shot 68 percent (17-for-25) over the final stanza to pull away one basket after another.

- An ankle injury to Moe Harkless in the first half helped Pitt take advantage inside and muscle their way to a 31-17 rebounding edge on the Red Storm. Harkless returned, but the Panthers found their way to the paint when they were not draining NBA-range threes with the several open looks they received.

- Finally; although it came in a losing effort, Phil Greene (18 points, seven assists) is awarded the game ball. Greene played a full 40 minutes and only turned the ball over three times while shooting 8-for-12 from the field against Pittsburgh’s smothering defense. Through numerous stretches in the first half, Greene seemingly could not miss. His mid-range game was even more effective, hitting one rainbow after another from various spots inside the three-point line.

Fresh off a three-game winning streak and a loss by reigning national champion Connecticut last night that kept St. John’s in contention for the No. 9 seed in next week’s Big East tournament, the Red Storm hit the road for two more games to conclude their regular season. First up is a trip to Pittsburgh to face a struggling Panther team that St. John’s has never beaten at the Petersen Center, and you will find all the important information you need to get caught up on tonight’s pivotal matchup below.

Date: Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Location: Petersen Events Center; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Time: 7:00 PM EST
TV: ESPNU (Adam Amin, Bob Valvano)
Radio: WBBR 1130 AM (John Minko, Tim O’Toole)

St. John’s Red Storm (13-16, 6-10)
Head Coach: Steve Lavin* (2nd season at STJ; 34-28, 179-106 overall)
*- Assistant coach Mike Dunlap will serve as interim coach while Lavin recovers from offseason prostate cancer surgery

Projected Starting Lineup:
G Phil Greene (6-2 Fr., 7.6 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 36% FG, 77% FT, 2.9 APG, 1.3 SPG)
G D’Angelo Harrison (6-3 Fr., 17.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 38% FG, 38% 3pt, 82% FT, 2.2 APG, 1.5 SPG)
F Amir Garrett (6-6 Fr., 7.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 46% FG, 58% FT, 1.1 APG, 1.2 SPG)
F Sir’Dominic Pointer (6-5 Fr., 6.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 40% FG, 57% FT, 1.6 APG, 1.6 SPG)
F Moe Harkless (6-8 Fr., 15.9 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 45% FG, 66% FT, 1.4 APG, 1.5 BPG, 1.7 SPG)

Key Reserves:
F God’sgift Achiuwa (6-8 Jr., 9.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 53% FG, 67% FT)

Keys To Victory:
- Hostile environment. Pittsburgh has arguably one of the hardest venues for a road team to win at, and the atmosphere tonight will be something the all-freshman lineup has yet to experience. Phil Greene will be most affected since he is at the controls, and his decision making will be put to the test like never before.

- D. (on both sides of the ball) On offense, this means D’Angelo Harrison. When the Texan gets into a groove, he is impossible to stop. On defense, it is self-explanatory. The Panthers have always been a strong defensive unit, so St. John’s needs to match them stop for stop whenever possible.

- Cloud nine. A win keeps the Red Storm in contention for the No. 9 seed in next week’s Big East tournament, the same spot that launched Connecticut’s run to glory one year ago. The brackets for St. John’s in the nine hole would include DePaul and Seton Hall before an eventual showdown with regular season conference champion Syracuse.

Now, to meet their opponents trying to salvage their season.

Pittsburgh Panthers (15-14, 4-12)
Head Coach: Jamie Dixon (9th season, 231-74)

Projected Starting Lineup:
G Travon Woodall (5-11 Jr., 11.7 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 42% FG, 36% 3pt, 87% FT, 6.1 APG)
G Ashton Gibbs (6-2 Sr., 15.4 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 39% FG, 34% 3pt, 86% FT, 2.4 APG)
F Lamar Patterson (6-5 So., 8.7 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 41% FG, 41% 3pt, 74% FT, 3.3 APG, 1.0 SPG)
F Nasir Robinson (6-5 Sr., 11.1 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 56% FG, 48% FT, 2.1 APG)
F Dante Taylor (6-9 Jr., 6.1 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 53% FG, 65% FT)

Key Reserves:
F J.J. Moore (6-6 So., 6.4 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 41% FG, 75% FT)
F Talib Zanna (6-9 So., 5.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 54% FG, 64% FT)
G John Johnson (6-1 Fr., 4.7 PPG, 0.8 RPG, 42% FG, 42% 3pt, 85% FT, 1.4 APG)

Keys To Victory:
- Home sweet home. Prior to this season, the Petersen Center was to Pitt what Hulk Hogan was to wrestling in the 1980s: Something that rarely ever lost. The Panthers had only lost twelve games since the place was opened, and this year alone has produced seven defeats on top of that. Look for Pitt to thrive off their sellout crowd early and often to take St. John’s out of the game.

- Guard play. Between Ashton Gibbs and Travon Woodall, Pitt received the bulk of their offense the last time they played the Red Storm. Gibbs seemingly could not miss at Madison Square Garden a year ago, and Woodall would have had the game-winning three if Dwight Hardy did not channel his inner “Baryshnikov” or “Fred Astaire” in a play you can see below.

- Nigerian nightmare. Just as St. John’s has has had God’sgift Achiuwa, Pitt has relied on his compatriot Talib Zanna. Now in his sophomore campaign; Zanna has yet to show what he is capable of on a consistent basis, but will get the opportunity against an undermanned Red Storm front line. Look for Zanna to have one of his better nights exploiting a thin interior game.

So, Who Wins?
Pitt has the role of spoiler on their minds. With a seemingly improbable run to a conference championship ahead of them, the Panthers may simply be looking at the NIT to salvage a lost season. However, a Steve Lavin team always gets better as the year goes on. This year’s St. John’s unit is no exception since the handful of rookies are now playing their best basketball and are peaking even later than last season’s senior-laden team did. With one more before the conference converges on Madison Square Garden, St. John’s continues their roll and sends the Panthers to .500 with a big road win.

Final Score: St. John’s 65, Pittsburgh 59

Something had to give, whether it was Notre Dame’s nine-game winning streak or St. John’s two-game roll. It took the full forty minutes to figure out which it would be.

After Amir Garrett (11 points) put St. John’s ahead by three with nine seconds left; Notre Dame had a chance to tie the game at the buzzer, but a three-point attempt from Alex Dragicevich bounced off the left rim to give the Red Storm (13-16, 6-10) a hard-earned 61-58 victory over the 18th-ranked Fighting Irish. (20-9, 12-4)

“Give a lot of credit to St. John’s,” Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said after the game. “We had a lot of good looks, but didn’t make enough of them.”

In addition to Garrett, St. John’s was led by Moe Harkless (22 points) and D’Angelo Harrison (15 points) for their third straight victory, which also extended a streak of wins over Notre Dame at Madison Square Garden that dates back to March of 2004, before former coach Norm Roberts was even hired.

St. John’s will now head to Pittsburgh with their slim NIT hopes still intact, and with a few lasting impressions from this afternoon’s matinee.

Lasting Impressions
- Moe Harkless picks up game ball honors, but he did not do it alone. Harkless and God’sgift Achiuwa were instrumental in containing the Notre Dame frontcourt through the opening half, and even in the first minutes of the second stanza.

- Notre Dame was defeated by their inability to hit the three-point shot that usually works well for them. For the game, the Fighting Irish missed 27 of the 31 trifectas they attempted, which allowed St. John’s to get a plus-7 defensive rebounding edge.

- Amir Garrett keeps improving on a nightly basis. Said his teammate Moe Harkless on the Los Angeles native: “When he gets going, it’s fun to watch.”

- Finally, each coach put the other over in their respective postgame press conferences, but no words made more of an impact than those spoken by Mike Brey in regard to the Red Storm. Below are some excerpts from the Notre Dame coach’s beliefs on St. John’s and their all-freshman lineup:

“The great thing about the St. John’s dynamic is that they play five freshmen and they start five freshmen because they only have six guys, and they all play 35 minutes a game. You’re only going to get better.”

“I think Mike Dunlap has done an unbelievable job. I can’t even relate to what he’s doing because I’ve always had seniors to lean on.”