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St. John’s Outplayed In Second Half Of 83-64 Loss At Marquette

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Twenty minutes into the game, St. John’s had a one-point lead on the 24th-ranked team in the country. What followed was a second half that the Red Storm would like to forget.

Playing with just six men for the final 11:22 of the second half, after D’Angelo Harrison fouled out, St. John’s short bench was no match for Marquette’s transition game, which Golden Eagles (13-4, 2-2) exploited for 52 second-half points, on the way to an 83-64 victory at the Bradley Center.

Davante Gardner led the way for Marquette, posting a career-high 22 points and 15 rebounds to complement a 20-point, six assist outing from guard Darius Johnson-Odom. St. John’s picked up a team-high 20 from God’sgift Achiuwa in the losing effort on one of the better games of the season for the native Nigerian.

St. John’s returns to Madison Square Garden, after they split their Midwest road trip, and waiting for them will be the 11th-ranked Georgetown Hoyas, who have lost each of their last three games in midtown Manhattan. Before we preview the Sunday matinee against the Johnnies’ archrivals, we’ll leave you with some of the standout images from tonight’s game in Milwaukee.

Lasting Impressions
– Marquette head coach Buzz Williams turned a few heads before the game even started with his choice to wear a plaid jacket. The fashion statement was actually appropriate since it took place on Al McGuire Night, and Williams paid homage to the former Marquette coach with his attire.

– After sitting through most of the first half with two fouls, Darius Johnson-Odom came alive over the final stanza to score eighteen of his twenty points. In his absence, Davante Gardner stepped up considering both Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder were in foul trouble early. Gardner entered the intermission with 14 points on the way to his 22 and 15 rebounds; and shares tonight’s game ball honors with Johnson-Odom, who sparked the Marquette transition game that put St. John’s away shortly after Harrison picked up his fifth foul.

– Much like the Arizona game in which St. John’s was a different team once Nurideen Lindsey fouled out, so they were after D’Angelo Harrison was whistled for his fifth foul with 11:22 remaining in regulation. In Harrison’s absence, the Red Storm relied heavily on Moe Harkless and Sir’Dominic Pointer to try and pick up the slack, but were unable to do so once the Golden Eagles employed their transition game effectively.

– Finally, Marquette’s biggest key to victory was smart shot selection. If the Golden Eagles could force St. John’s into throwing the ball up halfway through the shot clock, the road to a win would be smoother and easier to find. Sure enough, Marquette did exactly that; shooting 56 percent (33-for-59) from the field, including a 68 percent (21-for-31) clip in the second half and a 14-of-17 (82 percent) effort over the first twelve minutes of the final period.

St. John’s Continues Midwest Swing Against Marquette

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In the rock fight many envisioned it would be, St. John’s prevailed in their first road test of 2012 after Moe Harkless tipped in a missed D’Angelo Harrison layup at the buzzer to defeat Cincinnati. However, the Red Storm do not have much of an opportunity to savor the victory, as next on the schedule is a Marquette Golden Eagles team ranked 24th in the nation.

One year ago, St. John’s defeated Marquette on the road for their first win against the former Warriors since 1966; and JohnnyJungle.com has all the information on tomorrow night’s contest, which the Red Storm will look to turn into an encore.

Date: Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Location: Bradley Center; Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Time: 7:00 PM EST
TV: ESPNU (Adam Amin, LaPhonso Ellis)
Radio: WBBR 1130 AM (John Minko, Tim O’Toole)

St. John’s Red Storm (8-7, 2-2)
Head Coach: Steve Lavin* (2nd season at STJ; 29-19, 174-95 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., 6.2 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 31% FG, 73% FT, 2.3 APG, 1.1 SPG)
G D’Angelo Harrison (6-3 Fr., 16.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 38% FG, 33% 3pt, 81% FT, 2.1 APG, 1.7 SPG)
F Sir’Dominic Pointer (6-5 Fr., 6.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 46% FG, 47% FT, 1.1 APG, 1.4 SPG)
F Moe Harkless (6-8 Fr., 15.3 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 45% FG, 68% FT, 1.6 APG, 1.8 BPG, 1.5 SPG)
F God’sgift Achiuwa (6-8 Jr., 11.5 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 53% FG, 74% FT, 1.1 BPG)

Key Reserves:
G Malik Stith (5-11 Jr., 3.3 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 41% FG, 30% 3pt, 77% FT, 1.1 APG)
F Amir Garrett (6-6 Fr., 3.2 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 46% FG, 33% 3pt, 38% FT, 1.0 SPG)

Keys To Victory:
– Points in the paint. Marquette has become a different team in the absence of Chris Otule, forcing the Golden Eagles to be even more reliant upon their backcourt to pull them out of the fire in close games. Another plus for St. John’s is that aside from Jae Crowder, the Marquette front line is just as young, with sophomores Davante Gardner and Jamil Wilson receiving most of the playing time. If St. John’s can move the ball, the Red Storm defense will force a gifted Marquette offense to ramp up their efforts just a little more.

– Cincinnati, Part II. Marquette has struggled in games where their opposition has chosen to grind it out rather than get into a track meet with the Golden Eagles. Even though Buzz Williams’ bunch defeated Norfolk State in the Paradise Jam championship and picked up a huge road win against Wisconsin in similar conditions, Marquette had problems in games against LSU and Vanderbilt that many feel the Golden Eagles should have won. The real key here would be to rein in D’Angelo Harrison. In the first fifteen games, Harrison has demonstrated a willingness to take the open shot. In this matchup, however, the Texan may have to have more of a veteran instinct with the ball in his hands. If Harrison and Phil Greene can maximize the shot clock the way Jordan Taylor attempted to in the Wisconsin game, it will be a long night for Marquette.

– Get to the line. The best and easiest way to expose Marquette’s frontcourt would be to draw fouls. Davante Gardner and Jamil Wilson have already been forced into more playing time than head coach Buzz Williams could have envisioned now that Chris Otule is injured; and aside from Jamail Jones, there isn’t much more depth up front. Look for St. John’s to play more physical than they have in games past to establish the advantage in the paint.

Now, for a little background information on the Red Storm’s opponents…

No. 24 Marquette Golden Eagles (12-4, 1-2)
Head Coach: Buzz Williams (4th season at MU; 81-41, 97-58 overall)

Projected Starting Lineup:
G Junior Cadougan (6-1 Jr., 6.9 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 42% FG, 69% FT, 5.0 APG, 1.1 SPG)
G Darius Johnson-Odom (6-2 Sr., 18.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 44% FG, 37% 3pt, 76% FT, 2.7 APG, 1.1 SPG)
G Vander Blue (6-4 So., 8.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 42% FG, 62% FT, 3.6 APG, 1.6 SPG)
F Jae Crowder (6-6 Sr., 16.5 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 50% FG, 38% 3pt, 71% FT, 1.9 APG, 1.9 SPG)
F Davante Gardner (6-8 So., 8.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 59% FG, 77% FT, 1.2 SPG)

Key Reserves:
G Todd Mayo (6-3 Fr., 9.8 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 42% FG, 34% 3pt, 78% FT, 1.3 APG)
F Jamil Wilson (6-7 So., 4.9 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 43% FG, 30% 3pt, 73% FT)

Keys To Victory:
– Smart shot selection. Prior to their December 3rd matchup with Wisconsin, Marquette came in shooting 53 percent from the field as a team. Ten games later, (three of which being Big East contests) that number has gone down to 46 percent. Against a St. John’s team that is not afraid to chuck the ball up halfway through the shot clock, Marquette can take advantage of missed shots whenever they get them. With two starters (Jae Crowder and Davante Gardner) shooting 50 percent or better from the field, the Golden Eagles will look to get the ball inside for high percentage shots against the Red Storm’s press defense and matchup zone.

– So much talent, so little space. You can’t spell “multifaceted” without “MU,” and Marquette usually has one of the best players in the Big East on the court at each position at any time during the game. In addition to All-Big East selection Darius Johnson-Odom, point guard Junior Cadougan is really a special player despite having virtually all of his freshman year wiped out due to injuries and a lack of playing time. Moreover, Todd Mayo has become indispensable alongside Johnson-Odom as a replacement for Vander Blue; and despite their offensive inconsistency, Gardner and Jamil Wilson provide some of the best defense in the conference. Marquette has never had the Top 100 recruits that Steve Lavin brought to St. John’s, but true talent finds its own recognition as opposed to having it bestowed upon them at an early age.

– Ball control. Marquette has a plus-4 turnover margin on the season, forcing seventeen miscues on average this season while committing thirteen of their own per game. St. John’s does not turn the ball over much either, but inexperience and youth on the road could be a recipe for disaster if the game gets out of hand earlier than expected. Buzz Williams’ team is not as defensively gifted as the Red Storm, but has found a way to make plays and stops on that side of the ball in equal parts. The right combination of missed shots and aggressiveness in the backcourt could open the door to a home win that will get the Golden Eagles back to .500 in Big East play on Al McGuire Night, where the program will pay tribute to the coach that brought Marquette its only national championship in 1977.

So, Who Wins?
St. John’s won both halves of this road trip a year ago; first defeating Cincinnati in a game that was decided by two points much like the one this past Saturday before taking the trip to Milwaukee two nights later and coming alive in the second half to defeat Marquette for the first time since head coach Steve Lavin was just 17 months old in February of 1966, six years before Buzz Williams was even born. Marquette has dropped four of their last six since starting 10-0, and the Golden Eagles have yet to face a team the likes of St. John’s. Expect a matchup similar to the one that took place in February of 2010 at Carnesecca Arena, one that will ultimately be decided by the last possession. Marquette no longer has a Jimmy Butler to drain a baseline jumper at the buzzer in overtime; but the Golden Eagles have the talent to get it done in the final seconds, particularly Darius Johnson-Odom, who is this writer’s pick to hit the game-winning shot.

Final Score: Marquette 68, St. John’s 65

St. John’s Embarks On Midwest Road Trip; Cincinnati Up First

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Tomorrow afternoon’s matchup with Cincinnati is one in which St. John’s is not the only team to have had their season affected by an event that transcended their on-court performance.

While the Bearcats have changed their style of play and gone with a smaller unit on the floor en route to winning their last seven games since the brawl that ended their “Crosstown Shootout” with archrival Xavier, the Johnnies have struggled to find their way in the absence of head coach Steve Lavin.

While the Red Storm have won four games since Lavin’s last appearance on the bench in November, the team has also lost five against stiffer competition.

Each meeting with Cincinnati usually goes down to the wire if recent memory is any indication, and every year provides an intriguing matchup for better or worse when the Johnnies and Bearcats collide. JohnnyJungle.com will shed some light on the front end of a home-and-home series (the fourth between these two programs in the last five years) taking place in Ohio first before the two sides meet again next month under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden.

Date: Saturday, January 7, 2012
Location: Fifth Third Arena; Cincinnati, Ohio
Time: 2:00 PM EST
TV: MSG/ESPN3 (Tom Gelehrter, John Celestand)
Radio: WBBR 1130 AM (John Minko, Tim O’Toole)

St. John’s Red Storm (7-7, 1-2)
Head Coach: Steve Lavin* (2nd season at STJ; 28-19, 173-97 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, 2.5 RPG, 31% FG, 73% FT, 2.2 APG, 1.2 SPG)
G D’Angelo Harrison (6-3 Fr., 15.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 38% FG, 32% 3pt, 82% FT, 2.1 APG, 1.8 SPG)
F Sir’Dominic Pointer (6-5 Fr., 7.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 46% FG, 49% FT, 1.1 APG, 1.4 SPG)
F Moe Harkless (6-8 Fr., 15.4 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 45% FG, 68% FT, 1.7 APG, 1.7 BPG, 1.6 SPG)
F God’sgift Achiuwa (6-8 Jr., 11.7 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 53% FG, 74% FT, 1.1 BPG)

Key Reserves:
G Malik Stith (5-11 Jr., 3.4 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 42% FG, 33% 3pt, 77% FT, 1.1 APG)
F Amir Garrett (6-6 Fr., 2.0 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 33% FG, 33% FT, 1.0 SPG)

Keys To Victory:
– Command the low post. Cincinnati has flourished under a smaller lineup since the fracas against Xavier, which will give the Red Storm numerous opportunities to establish themselves under the boards. Moe Harkless will likely be the go-to guy inside since God’sgift Achiuwa has been more of a high post threat early on for St. John’s. The keys will be the ability of Phil Greene and D’Angelo Harrison to find an open man inside rather than pull up and take contested shots against a Cincinnati team that shoots 38 percent from three-point range.

– Come out firing. When St. John’s is able to dictate the pace and employ their transition game for forty minutes, the results have been nothing but positive for the Red Storm. If St. John’s can use their press defense to catch a small Bearcats lineup that averages under twelve turnovers a night off guard, a projected rock fight to begin with gets even harder to break offensively.

The one-man show. That’s what D’Angelo Harrison has been in recent games. Now the team’s leading scorer with an average of just under sixteen points per game; the sharpshooting Texan has broken the 20-point barrier four times this season, most recently in the Red Storm’s last game against Louisville. Don’t count on him to have an outing like his 25-point, seven-assist effort against Providence last week; but if he can get just one or two open looks in this game, it might be all St. John’s needs to come away from a tough road matchup victorious.

Trying to thwart any chance of a Red Storm victory is a squad looking for their eighth consecutive win after switching to a new offensive philosophy.

Cincinnati Bearcats (12-3, 2-0)
Head Coach: Mick Cronin (6th season at UC; 99-80, 168-104 overall)

Projected Starting Lineup:
G Cashmere Wright (6-0 Jr., 10.9 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 44% FG, 36% 3pt, 61% FT, 5.3 APG, 1.8 SPG)
G Dion Dixon (6-3 Sr., 13.9 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 40% FG, 70% FT, 1.9 APG, 1.5 SPG)
G Jaquon Parker (6-3 Jr., 11.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 54% FG, 64% 3pt, 83% FT, 1.8 APG)
G Sean Kilpatrick (6-4 So., 15.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 44% FG, 40% 3pt, 75% FT, 1.8 APG, 1.6 SPG)
F Justin Jackson (6-8 So., 5.2 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 51% FG, 53% FT, 1.7 BPG, 1.1 SPG)

Key Reserves:
F Yancy Gates (6-9 Sr., 12.7 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 46% FG, 67% 3pt, 50% FT, 1.0 APG, 1.3 BPG)
G Jeremiah Davis (6-3 Fr., 4.2 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 47% FG, 47% 3pt, 50% FT)
G Ge’Lawn Guyn (6-1 Fr., 3.4 PPG, 0.9 RPG, 41% FG, 39% 3pt, 60% FT, 1.0 APG)

Keys To Victory:
– Four quick. The four-guard lineup perfected by Jay Wright at Villanova has found a home at Cincinnati in the wake of the Crosstown Shootout fight that has changed this team for the better. Mick Cronin’s Bearcats have won seven consecutive games playing smaller than they may have envisioned, and leading the charge in that streak has been the emergence of guard Jaquon Parker. Described as a prototypical “glue guy” by college basketball insider Jon Rothstein, Parker has averaged twelve points and six rebounds per game with a style of play that belies his 6-3 frame. In addition, Parker has got it done offensively to the tune of shooting percentages of 54 from the field, 64 from beyond the arc, and 83 at the free throw line.

– New York state of mind. White Plains native Sean Kilpatrick has been the go-to guy Cronin expected him to be at Big East media day in October, when the coach said his guard was going to have a breakout season. Kilpatrick has not disappointed yet; and will be looking for yet another big game tomorrow against the Red Storm, perhaps a late birthday present for the sophomore, who turns 22 today.

– Ace in the hole. Say what you want about Yancy Gates’ maturity, (or lack thereof depending on how you feel about him) but never question his talent on the court. In nine contests before and after his six-game suspension, the homegrown senior forward has averaged just under 13 points and slightly over nine rebounds per game to offset below average shooting percentages for most forwards his size. Gates has not been the defensive force this year that most fans grew accustomed to seeing him as in years past, which helps St. John’s in the paint if it takes him a few minutes to get underway on that side of the ball.

So, Who Wins?
This game will be a rock fight, plain and simple. Each of the last three meetings between these two schools has featured a final score where neither team was able to break the 60-point barrier. However, the Bearcats have won four of the last six against St. John’s; and will look to avenge a bitter home defeat at the hands of the Red Storm this past February, when Malik Boothe and Justin Brownlee converted from the foul line to lift St. John’s to victory despite being held without a field goal for the final nine minutes. Both teams have had the advantage of playing in games with outcomes similar to what will be seen Saturday; but St. John’s has been in this situation more often against stronger competition, and although they have not always won these games, they come out on top here by a razor-thin margin on a day where the first one to 50 will win.

Final Score: St. John’s 55, Cincinnati 54

St. John’s Drops Second Straight; Falls To Louisville 73-58

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On the coldest night of the winter, the air conditioner inside Madison Square Garden was on full blast during the pregame shootaround. St. John’s forgot to shut theirs off.

Following a first half in which the Red Storm (7-7, 1-2) shot just 14 percent from the field; making just five of their 35 shots, their final rally came just a few minutes too late in a 73-58 loss at the hands of tenth-ranked Louisville, (13-2, 1-1) who beat St. John’s at their own game with a stifling press defense.

St. John’s was led by D’Angelo Harrison, whose 24 points led all scorers and gave the freshman his fourth 20-point game of the season; while the Cardinals picked up 17 points from sophomore guard Russ Smith en route to the victory.

St. John’s will regroup to face a resurgent Cincinnati team in what will serve as the Johnnies’ first Big East road trip of the season, and the team can take the following lasting impressions with them:

Lasting Impressions
– In addition to 17 points, seven assists and four steals off the bench from Russ Smith, Louisville picked up 12 points, nine rebounds and seven blocked shots from Senegalese center Gorgui Dieng, contributions that were good enough to warrant the game ball honors being shared for this contest.

– Once again, God’sgift Achiuwa struggled under the bright lights of the Garden, tallying just four points and six rebounds. The Nigerian import has averaged 14.6 points per game away from midtown Manhattan, but just 4.3 at the Mecca of college basketball.

– Here’s an interesting nugget, courtesy of JohnnyJungle.com founder Dave Krupinski: Both of St. John’s last two opponents have started a walk-on: Connecticut (Andre Drummond) and Louisville. (Kyle Kuric)

– Finally, head coach Steve Lavin took in the game from a suite at the Garden, despite continuing to recover from offseason prostate cancer surgery. While he did not give an official return time, he did comment about his presence in a statement issued by St. John’s senior associate athletic director for communications and men’s basketball sports information director Mark Fratto. Below are the words of the second-year head man:

“I’ll be going back on the road to recruit Thursday, so this was an opportunity on the calendar to attend a game and support the team. I will continue a modified schedule with duties that include being at practices, recruiting the 2012 class, and attending certain games.”

St. John’s Opens 2012 By Hosting Louisville At Madison Square Garden

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The calendar has turned and for those associated with St. John’s basketball, the hope is that so too will the team’s fortunes following an 83-69 defeat at the hands of reigning national champion Connecticut to close out 2011.

Now that the team has returned home after the trip to Hartford, they prepare for another ranked team in the Louisville Cardinals. This game will be the third contest for the Red Storm in Big East play in addition to the 2012 opener for both sides, and a little more information about each team follows this introduction.

Date: Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Location: Madison Square Garden; New York, New York
Time: 7:00 PM EST
TV: ESPNU (Adam Amin, Bill Raftery)
Radio: WBBR 1130 AM (John Minko, Tim O’Toole)
Online: WSJURadio.org (TBD)

St. John’s Red Storm (7-6, 1-1)
Head Coach: Steve Lavin* (2nd season at STJ, 28-18; 173-96 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, 2.3 RPG, 34% FG, 73% FT, 2.1 APG, 1.2 SPG)
G D’Angelo Harrison (6-3 Fr., 15.2 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 37% FG, 32% 3pt, 82% FT, 2.0 APG, 1.7 SPG)
F Sir’Dominic Pointer (6-5 Fr., 7.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 50% FG, 31% 3pt, 46% FT, 1.2 APG, 1.2 SPG)
F God’sgift Achiuwa (6-8 Jr., 12.3 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 54% FG, 74% FT, 1.2 BPG)
F Moe Harkless (6-8 Fr., 15.7 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 46% FG, 66% FT, 1.7 APG, 1.6 BPG, 1.8 SPG)

Key Reserves:
G Malik Stith (5-11 Jr., 3.2 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 42% FG, 38% 3pt, 67% FT, 1.2 APG)
F Amir Garrett (6-6 Fr., 1.7 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 40% FG, 50% FT, 1.0 APG)

Keys To Victory:
– Control the pace. Louisville is notorious for being able to dictate the tempo, so the Red storm have to be the aggressors Tuesday night in order to emerge victorious. In both of the last two meetings with the Cardinals at the Garden; St. John’s played on their terms, forcing Louisville to play defense in a loss in February 2009 and a convincing 19-point win in January 2010.

– Actions speak louder than words. Moe Harkless admitted that he “didn’t take over the game as well as he should have” following the loss to UConn. The confident freshman forward should have more opportunities to do just that against a smaller Louisville lineup, but faces stiff competition inside against center Gorgui Dieng.

– Focus and finish. St. John’s proved that no lead is safe when they trimmed a 23-point UConn lead down to eleven late in the second half, and Mike Dunlap has been pleased with the incremental progress his unit has made since their loss to Kentucky last month. Even though Louisville is offensively proficient; the Red Storm are handling pressure situations much better than anyone expected at this point, which will keep them in the game if Louisville cannot close the door early in the second half.

Leading the charge for the opposition is a homegrown coach who returns to his hometown on the heels of a two-game losing streak.

No. 10 Louisville Cardinals (12-2, 0-1)
Head Coach: Rick Pitino (11th season at UL, 257-98; 611-226 overall)

Projected Starting Lineup:
G Peyton Siva (6-0 Jr., 9.4 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 33% FG, 80% FT, 6.2 APG, 2.0 SPG)
G Chris Smith (6-2 Sr., 9.7 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 40% FG, 39% 3pt, 75% FT, 2.7 APG, 1.2 SPG)
F Kyle Kuric (6-4 Jr., 12.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 49% FG, 34% 3pt, 74% FT, 1.1 APG, 1.6 SPG)
F Chane Behanan (6-6 Fr., 8.4 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 43% FG, 60% FT)
C Gorgui Dieng (6-11 So., 10.1 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 56% FG, 64% FT, 1.3 APG, 3.1 BPG)

Key Reserves:
G Russ Smith (6-0 So., 12.3 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 39% FG, 37% 3pt, 74% FT, 1.8 APG, 2.5 SPG)
F Jared Swopshire (6-8 Jr., 4.6 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 41% FG, 67% FT)

Keys To Victory:
– Right the ship. Regardless of who a program like Louisville plays, a two-game losing streak is cause for concern. St. John’s comes in off a battle against UConn where the Red Storm gained valuable experience in handling late-game deficits, and Louisville has had to play catch-up in much the same way their opponents Tuesday night attempted to against the reigning national champion Huskies. Expect Louisville to establish themselves early on as the stronger and more efficient team.

– Hey, you never know. After hard-fought losses to Georgetown and Kentucky; St. John’s is a game that the Cardinals and their fan base expect to win, but it is also a potential trap game. The Cardinals are looking to avenge an upset at the hands of the Johnnies in their most recent regular season trip to Madison Square Garden, which came in January of 2010 when the Norm Roberts-led Red Storm knocked off Louisville by the final of 74-55.

– Pound it inside. Combined, the duo of freshman Chane Behanan and sophomore Gorgui Dieng average over 18 points and 17 rebounds per game. Dieng in particular has been most impressive to watch after a shaky rookie campaign last season. The Senegalese import needs eight points and fifteen rebounds to average a double-double for the season; and might be able to attain the latter against God’sgift Achiuwa and Moe Harkless, who have not always been effective in beating their matchups to the paint.

So, Who Wins?
It has to get worse before it can get better. For St. John’s, the worst may have come in the aforementioned Kentucky game that the coaching staff now regards in much the same way they did with Fordham last year as a turning point for the season. In the Louisville camp, the potential to turn into a team on the decline is at its highest. A similar situation occurred in 2008-09 when a far more talented Notre Dame team came into the Garden ranked seventh in the country and lost to St. John’s for what would start a seven-game losing streak that ultimately cost the Fighting Irish an NCAA Tournament bid. Louisville has the right players and coach to avoid that misfortune. St. John’s will give the Cardinals all they can handle early, but the physicality and shooting of the Cardinals wins out as the night wears on.

Final Score: Louisville 73, St. John’s 62