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St. John’s Travels To Chicago For Meeting With DePaul

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Even in a loss, the valiant showing from St. John’s at Cameron Indoor Stadium against sixth-ranked Duke still ranks as some of the most inspiring basketball this young team has played all season.

Next up is a DePaul team that took the Red Storm to triple overtime the last time St. John’s made their way into Chicago, when the Red Storm outlasted the Blue Demons behind seven three-pointers and 32 points from D.J. Kennedy. JohnnyJungle.com gives you all the background information you need for the rematch in the land of deep dish pizza, Abe Froman and Stan Mikita’s Donuts.

Date: Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Location: Allstate Arena; Rosemont, Illinois
Time: 8:30 PM EST
TV: SNY/ESPN3 (Mike Gleason, Dickey Simpkins)
Radio: WBBR 1130 AM (John Minko, Tim O’Toole)

St. John’s Red Storm (9-12, 3-6)
Head Coach: Steve Lavin* (2nd season at STJ; 30-24, 175-102 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., 6.7 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 34% FG, 75% FT, 2.7 APG, 1.1 SPG)
G D’Angelo Harrison (6-3 Fr., 15.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 38% FG, 34% 3pt, 81% FT, 1.8 APG, 1.6 SPG)
F Amir Garrett (6-6 Fr., 5.3 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 38% FG, 54% FT, 1.1 APG, 1.4 SPG)
F Sir’Dominic Pointer (6-5 Fr., 6.6 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 43% FG, 53% FT, 1.5 APG, 1.0 BPG, 1.6 SPG)
F Moe Harkless (6-8 Fr., 16.6 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 47% FG, 65% FT, 1.3 APG, 1.8 BPG, 1.5 SPG)

Key Reserves:
F God’sgift Achiuwa (6-8 Jr., 10.3 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 53% FG, 70% FT)
G Malik Stith (5-11 Jr., 2.8 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 39% FG, 80% [12/15] FT, 1.0 APG)

Keys To Victory:
– Confidence boost. That’s essentially what the Duke game serves as for this young bunch. If the Red Storm can maintain their momentum against a DePaul team that is still looking to turn the corner, this game will be theirs for the taking.

– Second City saint. Phil Greene makes his long-awaited return home tonight, and will have scores of family and friends in attendance as he looks to make his first homecoming a successful one. Greene will most likely be matched up with sophomore Brandon Young throughout the night.

– Moe Town. DePaul isn’t as vertically endowed as some other Big East programs, which should give Moe Harkless room to do what he does best. Look for the freshman to have another productive game as he solidifies his case for the Big East Rookie of the Year award.

And now, let’s meet the sons of the Midwest.

DePaul Blue Demons (11-9, 2-6)
Head Coach: Oliver Purnell (2nd season at DePaul; 18-33, 412-314 overall)

Projected Starting Lineup:
G Brandon Young (6-3 So., 16.0 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 44% FG, 75% FT, 4.7 APG, 1.7 SPG)
G Jeremiah Kelly (6-0 Sr., 8.8 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 40% FG, 37% 3pt, 65% FT, 3.9 APG, 1.4 SPG)
G Charles McKinney (6-3 Fr., 3.8 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 43% FG, 48% FT, 1.4 APG, 1.1 SPG)
F Cleveland Melvin (6-8 So., 17.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 44% FG, 64% FT, 1.2 BPG)
C Krys Faber (6-10 Sr., 4.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 56% FG, 86% FT)

Key Reserves:
F Moses Morgan (6-6 So., 8.0 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 34% FG, 35% 3pt, 71% [12/17] FT)
G Jamee Crockett (6-4 Fr., 6.9 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 46% FG, 40% 3pt, 78% [14/18] FT)
G Worrel Clahar (5-11 Jr., 6.0 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 51% FG, 50% 3pt, 77% FT, 1.9 APG, 1.5 SPG)
F Donnavan Kirk (6-9 So., 2.5 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 37% FG, 80% [8/10] FT)

Keys To Victory:
– Back it up. DePaul’s guard play is deceptively strong when compared to their Big East brethren. In fact, Brandon Young and Jeremiah Kelly could be the most underrated backcourt in the conference. Young’s scoring ability and Kelly’s natural shooting talents will make for a long night on the defensive side of the ball, where Phil Greene and D’Angelo Harrison will need to be up to the task of controlling the Blue Demons.

– Jimmy crack corn and I don’t care. Like his defensive matchup tonight in Moe Harkless, Cleveland Melvin was also heavily recruited by the University of Connecticut only to turn Jim Calhoun down in the long run. So far, the decision appears to have worked out in Melvin’s favor, as he is the reigning Big East Rookie of the Year as well as DePaul’s leading scorer and rebounder. In a battle where both combatants will likely end up with double-doubles, Melvin against Harkless will be a treat to watch.

– Let my people go. Moses Morgan is an indispensable asset to the Blue Demons that most programs would kill to have: A sharpshooting swingman who can score seemingly at will. Morgan also has no true matchup against the Red Storm, giving him an increased opportunity to exploit St. John’s and their press defense.

So, Who Wins?
DePaul is not the same Big East bottom feeder most fans have grown accustomed to watching win just a grand total of two conference games between 2008 and 2010. As the Blue Demons have shown in victories over Pittsburgh and Rutgers, it does not come easy for opponents anymore. St. John’s needs this game and their next one against Syracuse in order to keep their slim NCAA Tournament hopes alive; and after their last two performances, the momentum remains firmly in their corner. Young and Melvin will each go for 20-plus, but it will not be enough as the Red Storm leave Chicago winners.

Final Score: St. John’s 77, DePaul 64

Harrison and Harkless Not Enough for St. John’s in 83-76 Loss To Duke

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Although it was a loss, one could make a valid case for today serving as the most inspiring game of St. John’s basketball that has been played all season.

Three days removed from a wire-to-wire win over West Virginia, the Red Storm (9-12) gave a valiant effort in an 83-76 loss to sixth-ranked Duke (18-3) at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

It was a game of runs, as Duke turned a slim three-point lead into a 20-point advantage with a 20-3 spurt in the first half, but also one in which a talented freshman made himself a household name to all those who still doubted his abilities.

After his 23-point, 13-rebound outing against West Virginia Wednesday night, Moe Harkless matched his rebound total from the previous game and exploded for 30 points against the 2010 national champion Blue Devils. The offensive eruption was just two points short of Harkless’ career high of 32, set on December 27th against Providence.

“I wanted to win the game,” said Harkless after a game in which he was visibly more passionate on the court than at any other point in his young career. “Coach [Mike Dunlap] told us how much he respects Duke, but he always wants to beat them, so he kind of put that in our heads. This one was personal.”

D’Angelo Harrison, who scored 21 points in his own right, said of Harkless’ contributions: “I think he grew up today.”

Harkless and St. John’s next take their road show to Chicago for a Wednesday evening clash with DePaul, but before they do that, here are some lasting impressions to chew on in the wake of a team that showed more than just hope for the future.

Lasting Impressions
– Moe Harkless gets the game ball, and there is no question about it. The freshman’s 30-point, 13-rebound outing makes him the first-ever St. John’s player to reach the 30-point plateau in Durham, and he was equal parts aggressive and savvy in doing so. His first-half dunk that pulled St. John’s to within three and forced Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski to call a timeout in the first half was the highlight of his virtuoso performance. Harkless also becomes the second player in as many seasons to score 30 in multiple games, joining the great Dwight Hardy, who eclipsed that mark several times on the way to the NCAA Tournament one year ago. “I feel like we lost today,” said Krzyzewski after watching his Duke team let Harkless and the Red Storm back into the game during the second half.

– In addition to Harkless, D’Angelo Harrison added 21 points to continue a string of consistent efforts. The Texan has had problems with shot selection in recent games, but he was able to ignite a late Red Storm rally with several second-half threes.

– St. John’s has played back-to-back solid games against high-level competition for the first time this season. With DePaul up next, the Red Storm need to be mindful of the fact that the Blue Demons are just as good as anyone else, especially with Syracuse coming up a week from today at Madison Square Garden.

– Finally, Duke was able to survive on the way to their 94th consecutive nonconference home win. In a game where the Blue Devils led by as many as 22, Mason Plumlee proved his value with a 15-point, 17-rebound showing that may get overlooked in the box score, but turned out to be the game-saving effort considering Duke only shot 30 percent in the second half.

Red Storm Go Down Tobacco Road After Statement Win

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In a contest that was a must-win game for both sides, St. John’s emerged the victor; defeating West Virginia on a night where the Mountaineers could not make a shot through most of the first half, allowing the Red Storm to capitalize on an unusually high amount of mistakes. It only gets harder from here, though; as next up is a Duke team that still has pieces from their 2010 national championship unit, as well as players that remember last year’s 93-78 defeat at the hands of the Red Storm a year ago inside Madison Square Garden.

St. John’s remains the last non-ACC team to defeat Duke in North Carolina, and JohnnyJungle.com will give you the background information on the matchup in which the Red Storm look to make lightning strike twice.

Date: Saturday, January 28, 2012
Location: Cameron Indoor Stadium; Durham, North Carolina
Time: 12:00 PM EST
TV: ESPN (Brent Musburger, Dick Vitale)
Radio: WBBR 1130 AM (John Minko, Tim O’Toole)

St. John’s Red Storm (9-11)
Head Coach: Steve Lavin* (2nd season at STJ; 30-23, 175-101 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., 6.6 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 34% FG, 75% FT, 2.9 APG, 1.1 SPG)
G D’Angelo Harrison (6-3 Fr., 15.5 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 37% FG, 34% 3pt, 81% FT, 1.9 APG, 1.6 SPG)
F Amir Garrett (6-6 Fr., 5.0 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 41% FG, 55% FT, 1.0 APG, 1.3 SPG)
F Sir’Dominic Pointer (6-5 Fr., 6.9 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 43% FG, 53% FT, 1.5 APG, 1.1 BPG, 1.5 SPG)
F Moe Harkless (6-8 Fr., 16.0 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 46% FG, 66% FT, 1.4 APG, 1.9 BPG, 1.6 SPG)

Key Reserves:
F God’sgift Achiuwa (6-8 Jr., 10.6 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 53% FG, 71% FT, 1.0 BPG)
G Malik Stith (5-11 Jr., 2.9 PPG, 1.2 RPG, 39% FG, 80% [12/15] FT, 1.1 APG)

Keys To Victory:
– Last year was no fluke. Mostly all the players from last season’s 93-78 victory are gone, but the game plan remains the same. Just as St. John’s was able to take advantage of West Virginia miscues in the opening minutes Wednesday night, they will need to do the same against a far more talented Duke team that can match the Red Storm shot for shot as well as get multiple stops on a single possession defensively.

– Get in the zone. A year ago, Duke started the game missing 20 of their first 21 attempts from three-point range. St. John’s has not been as adept at closing to the arc this year, which will give the Blue Devils open looks that need to be minimized with the matchup zone defense that several teams have been unable to solve both last season and this season.

– Greene light. Phil Greene had arguably his best game of the season Wednesday night, committing just one turnover while going for eleven points and eight assists against West Virginia and fellow freshman Jabarie Hinds. Greene will be matched up with another rookie on Saturday in highly touted recruit Austin Rivers, who will look to set the tone in the backcourt and force Greene to play catch-up from the opening tip to the final buzzer.

St. John’s next opponent is the eighth ranked team they will face this season, and this one is guided by the winningest coach in Division I history.

No. 6 Duke Blue Devils (17-3)
Head Coach: Mike Krzyzewski (32nd season at Duke; 844-228, 917-287 overall)

Projected Starting Lineup:
G Austin Rivers (6-4 Fr., 14.2 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 44% FG, 38% 3pt, 69% FT, 1.9 APG)
G Seth Curry (6-2 Jr., 12.4 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 44% FG, 37% 3pt, 87% FT, 2.7 APG, 1.6 SPG)
G Andre Dawkins (6-4 Jr., 10.0 PPG, 44% FG, 41% 3pt, 76% FT)
F Mason Plumlee (6-10 Jr., 11.8 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 62% FG, 47% FT, 2.2 APG, 1.6 BPG)
F Ryan Kelly (6-11 Jr., 12.5 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 49% FG, 47% 3pt, 80% FT, 1.2 APG, 1.1 BPG)

Key Reserves:
F Miles Plumlee (6-10 Sr., 6.7 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 67% FG, 64% FT, 1.2 BPG)
G Quinn Cook (6-0 Fr., 5.2 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 47% FG, 32% 3pt, 83% FT, 2.1 APG)
G Tyler Thornton (6-1 So., 3.7 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 46% FG, 45% 3pt, 70% FT, 2.2 APG)

Keys To Victory:
– Crazy house. Duke has not lost a nonconference home game in nearly twelve years, and the “Cameron Crazies” are a big reason why. One of the most intense crowds in the country, the Duke fans can turn a close game into a hometown runaway just by showing up. Google “Krzyzewskiville” if you don’t believe us, and you’ll find out about the fans who camp out for days on end leading up to big games such as the one the Blue Devils will be playing Saturday afternoon.

– Family affair. The brothers Plumlee will represent something the Red Storm has never seen this season: A duo of big men that can score, rebound and shoot exceptionally well. Miles (the senior) comes off the bench and infuses a fresh set of legs and height into Mike Krzyzewski’s lineup, while Mason (the junior) is the starting power forward that will go up against Moe Harkless in a matchup where both players could end up with double-doubles at the end of the night. Harkless will need to use his midrange jumper at times in order to beat the bigger Duke front line.

– Just shoot me. Duke was defeated by their inability to hit the three-point shot last season against the Red Storm, but Mike Krzyzewski’s team comes into this game shooting a combined 40 percent from beyond the arc. Guards Andre Dawkins and Tyler Thornton (the latter is a guard who conjures up memories of former Duke star J.J. Redick) shoot above that average, as does 6-11 big man Ryan Kelly. In addition, Austin Rivers, Seth Curry and Quinn Cook all shoot well enough from long range to give Duke a multitude of weapons against a young team that has had difficulty defending the trifecta.

So, Who Wins?
The last time Duke played at home, they lost to Florida State on a buzzer-beating three from Michael Snaer, so the Cameron Crazies will be out in even greater force than they normally are. The Red Storm have a road game against DePaul after this one that is no longer a guarantee given how much the Blue Demons have improved. St. John’s usually plays Duke to the limit, though; and Saturday will be no exception, even if the Blue Devils are more talented. Duke gets the win, but it will be far from convincing.

Final Score: Duke 76, St. John’s 71

St. John’s Ends Four-Game Skid With 78-62 Win Over West Virginia

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Returning to Madison Square Garden for the first time since coughing up a 10-point lead to Villanova, St. John’s did more than just exorcise their demons.

Tonight, they buried them.

Four Red Storm players scored in double figures as St. John’s (9-11, 3-6) snapped a four-game losing streak with a commanding 78-62 victory over West Virginia (15-6, 5-3) in a matchup that the Johnnies led by as many as 21. The Mountaineers did get 26 points and 14 rebounds from potential conference player of the year Kevin Jones in the losing effort.

“This is the first time we really closed out a game when the other team had a spurt,” said Moe Harkless, who led St. John’s with 23 points. Assistant coach Mike Dunlap, who is filling in for a recovering Steve Lavin, praised Harkless’ performance after the game, but bluntly stated that the freshman forward “has a long way to go” to be a complete player. “He’s versatile, but his tool box needs to be developed,” Dunlap remarked.

St. John’s was the last non-ACC team to win at Cameron Indoor Stadium; and they will have the chance to do it again this Saturday against Duke, but not before we leave you with some lasting impressions from Manhattan first.

Lasting Impressions
– Amir Garrett got his second career start tonight, and made the most of it. Although he played only 25 minutes, Garrett set career highs with eleven points and seven rebounds while facilitating numerous transition plays that vaulted the Red Storm to a 22-5 fast break disparity against West Virginia.

– In addition to Garrett, point guard Phil Greene continued his resurgence in what may very well have been his best performance of the season. The Chicago native scored eleven points and dished out eight assists; but most importantly, committed just one turnover.

– Tonight’s game ball goes to Moe Harkless. Playing the full forty minutes, the homegrown talent posted his second-highest point total of the year with 23 points. Harkless also grabbed 13 rebounds and had three blocked shots on a night where he was the most consistent offensive force for the Red Storm.

– Finally, St. John’s showed the counterpunching and resiliency that was the trademark of their magical run last season. West Virginia cut the St. John’s lead to nine points late in the second half, but the Red Storm responded by ending the game on a 10-3 run to close out a game in which they led wire-to-wire. “No game is ever safe,” said D’Angelo Harrison, who chipped in with 19 points. “You could be up by 25 and some team could come beat you.”

Red Storm Hoping To Avoid Fifth Straight Loss Against West Virginia

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Once again, foul trouble reared its ugly head in St. John’s most recent game. After a career-high 28 points from D’Angelo Harrison, the Red Storm could not maintain their offensive productivity once their freshman guard fouled out, blowing a 10-point lead and losing to Villanova in overtime.

Now losers of four straight, St. John’s returns to Madison Square Garden to face a resurgent West Virginia team that has solidified themselves at the present moment among the class of the Big East. JohnnyJungle.com will get you caught up with all the important information you need to know going into this mid-week showdown.

Date: Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Location: Madison Square Garden; New York, New York
Time: 7:00 PM EST
TV: ESPNU (Adam Amin, LaPhonso Ellis)
Radio: WBBR 1130 AM (John Minko, Tim O’Toole)
Online: WSJURadio.org (TBD)

St. John’s Red Storm (8-11, 2-6)
Head Coach: Steve Lavin* (2nd season at STJ; 29-23, 174-101 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., 6.4 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 33% FG, 75% FT, 2.6 APG, 1.1 SPG)
G D’Angelo Harrison (6-3 Fr., 15.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 37% FG, 33% 3pt, 81% FT, 1.8 APG, 1.6 SPG)
F Sir’Dominic Pointer (6-5 Fr., 6.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 42% FG, 55% FT, 1.5 APG, 1.0 BPG, 1.5 SPG)
F Moe Harkless (6-8 Fr., 15.6 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 46% FG, 66% FT, 1.4 APG, 1.8 BPG, 1.6 SPG)
F God’sgift Achiuwa (6-8 Jr., 11.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 53% FG, 71% FT, 1.0 BPG)

Key Reserves:
F Amir Garrett (6-6 Fr., 4.3 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 39% FG, 48% FT, 1.0 APG, 1.3 SPG)
G Malik Stith (5-11 Jr., 2.8 PPG, 1.2 RPG, 39% FG, 77% [10/13] FT, 1.2 APG)

Keys To Victory:
– Stay out of foul trouble. This cannot be overstated after Harrison picked up his fifth against Villanova. With just two players on the bench who average only a combined seven points and four rebounds per game in a combined 36 minutes, the Red Storm need to manage their players carefully, somewhat like Joe Girardi does with the New York Yankees.

– Divine intervention. For some reason, God’sgift Achiuwa’s struggles at Madison Square Garden have continued in recent games. However, the Nigerian big man has had solid games everywhere else. The adjustment process that has plagued each of these freshmen at one point or another has come back to burn the junior college transfer in the Mecca of college basketball, and a step toward reversing that trend could turn the season around.

– Amir Garrett. The freshman got his first career start on Saturday, and seems to be turning the corner as he continues to evolve this season. After being cautiously used to start his career; Garrett is now starting to see more minutes, and has the potential to have his first big game against a small West Virginia lineup.

Making the trip from Morgantown is a surprisingly strong 15-5 West Virginia unit.

West Virginia Mountaineers (15-5, 5-2)
Head Coach: Bob Huggins (5th season at WVU; 116-47, 706-258 overall)

Projected Starting Lineup:
G Jabarie Hinds (5-11 Fr., 8.3 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 47% FG, 37% 3pt, 67% FT, 3.7 APG, 1.5 SPG)
G Darryl Bryant (6-2 Sr., 17.5 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 38% FG, 32% 3pt, 75% FT, 2.7 APG, 1.1 SPG)
F Keaton Miles (6-6 Fr., 1.3 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 31% FG, 36% [4/11] FT, 1.3 APG)
F Kevin Jones (6-8 Sr., 20.7 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 55% FG, 31% 3pt, 75% FT, 1.2 APG, 1.1 BPG)
F Deniz Kilicli (6-9 Jr., 11.1 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 52% FG, 55% FT, 1.9 APG)

Key Reserves:
G Gary Browne (6-1 Fr., 6.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 44% FG, 62% FT, 3.0 APG, 1.5 SPG)
F Aaron Brown (6-5 Fr., 5.3 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 45% FG, 46% 3pt, 43% [3/7] FT)
F Kevin Noreen (6-10 Fr., 2.6 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 57% FG, 65% FT)

Keys To Victory:
– De facto home game. – Bob Huggins has always been able to recruit the New York area well, and this game will be a homecoming for three of his starters. Shooting guard Darryl “Truck” Bryant is a Brooklyn native who played his high school ball at St. Raymond’s in the Bronx, while Kevin Jones and Jabarie Hinds are products of the powerhouse Mount Vernon High School program coached by the legendary Bob Cimmino. The Mountaineers have always played well in the Big Apple, (the 2010 Big East tournament serving as Exhibit A) and tomorrow night should be no exception.

– Mr. Jones. Not only is Kevin Jones West Virginia’s best player, he is also putting together a Big East Player of the Year-worthy season. With averages of nearly 21 points and 11.5 rebounds per game, Jones is by far the most statistically endowed player St. John’s has faced this year, which should give him the advantage in matchups.

– St. John’s, just more experienced. West Virginia’s lineup resembles that of the Red Storm, a combination of athleticism and length with enough wingspan to make Jay Bilas gush for weeks on end. What sets the Mountaineers apart is their experience, something that will be used to their advantage early and often.

So, Who Wins?
This essentially amounts to a must-win game for both sides, with the Mountaineers traveling to the Carrier Dome to face Syracuse on a Saturday afternoon where St. John’s will be entertaining Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium. West Virginia has always been a matchup problem for whoever plays them, and the young Red Storm will be no exception. St. John’s can stay with Bob Huggins’ team early on; but the length and athleticism that is on the side of experience will prevail late in the second half, especially if St. John’s gets into foul trouble.

Final Score: West Virginia 69, St. John’s 56