Columns – Page 11

Surging Red Storm Shoot For Three Straight As Irish Come To Garden

February 24, 2012 by Jaden Daly Leave a Comment

A two-game winning streak is all it takes for even the slightest bit of optimism to make its way to the corner of Union and Utopia.

After the latest St. John’s victory; a 79-72 decision over DePaul Monday night, the Red Storm now look for their third three-game winning streak of the year when they contest their final regular season home game. Standing in their way is a team that has surprisingly made their way up to second in the Big East standings, the University of Notre Dame. Yet, for all the Fighting Irish have accomplished this season and in years past, the institution notorious for “Touchdown Jesus” and “Rudy” has not defeated St. John’s on the hardwood at the “World’s Most Famous Arena” since March of 2004. Just to put this in perspective, George W. Bush was in his first term as President of the United States, Norm Roberts was hired by the Red Storm shortly thereafter, and this writer was a senior in high school the last time Notre Dame earned a regular season win at Madison Square Garden.

This Notre Dame team is different, though, having won a school record nine consecutive games coming into tomorrow’s matinee. Something has to give, and JohnnyJungle.com gives you all the background information leading up to this pivotal Big East showdown.

Date: Saturday, February 25, 2012
Location: Madison Square Garden; New York, New York
Time: 12:00 PM EST
TV: ESPN2 (Dave Pasch, Doris Burke)
Radio: WBBR 1130 AM (John Minko, Tim O’Toole)
Online: WSJURadio.org (Kieran Lynch, Jon Perez)

St. John’s Red Storm (12-16, 5-10)
Head Coach: Steve Lavin* (2nd season at STJ; 33-28, 178-106 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., 7.8 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 36% FG, 77% FT, 3.0 APG, 1.3 SPG)
G D’Angelo Harrison (6-3 Fr., 17.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 38% FG, 38% 3pt, 82% FT, 2.2 APG, 1.6 SPG)
F Amir Garrett (6-6 Fr., 6.9 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 46% FG, 57% FT, 1.0 APG, 1.1 SPG)
F Sir’Dominic Pointer (6-5 Fr., 6.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 40% FG, 57% FT, 1.6 APG, 1.6 SPG)
F Moe Harkless (6-8 Fr., 15.6 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., 9.3 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 53% FG, 68% FT)

Keys To Victory:
– Guard play. Phil Greene and D’Angelo Harrison need to approach this game with the mindset that they are the only players on the court. Yes, Notre Dame has a better front line than the Red Storm, but Greene and Harrison are more essential to the chances of a Red Storm win with their backcourt counterparts (Eric Atkins and Jerian Grant) being the two leading scorers for the Fighting Irish, accounting for a combined 26 points per game. Greene and Harrison average 25 combined; so if they can take over the game and force Notre Dame to get in transition to make their baskets, the Red Storm have already won half the battle.

– Find God. It’s no secret that we’ll all see a lot of God’sgift Achiuwa tomorrow since Moe Harkless cannot defend Jack Cooley alone. Achiuwa has hurt the Red Storm more than he has helped them unfortunately due to his struggles inside the paint and also while receiving passes. However, after Cooley, Notre Dame has no major size to speak of; so if Achiuwa and Harkless can double-team the 6-9 junior, it will be another small obstacle St. John’s will have overcome.

– Grind it out. If this game turns into a track meet, Notre Dame will be in control before the end of the first half. It is safe to say that this will be more of a defensive-oriented matchup for St. John’s in that they need to force the issue on that side of the ball and make Notre Dame resort to maximizing the shot clock to get the best opportunity possible. If you look back to the January 3, 2009 matchup against the Irish, that is the defensive effort needed. In that game, Luke Harangody was forced to carry Notre Dame on his back as St. John’s got Tory Jackson in foul trouble and Paris Horne contested every shot taken by sharpshooter Kyle McAlarney on the way to a 71-65 Red Storm victory in what was Norm Roberts’ signature win of his six-year tenure in Queens.

From South Bend, Indiana comes the program noted for its iconic “Victory March” fight song.

No. 18 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (20-8, 12-3)
Head Coach: Mike Brey (12th season at ND; 258-128, 357-180 overall)

Projected Starting Lineup:
G Eric Atkins (6-1 So., 13.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 41% FG, 38% 3pt, 75% FT, 4.0 APG, 1.3 SPG)
G Jerian Grant (6-5 So., 13.1 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 41% FG, 37% 3pt, 81% FT, 4.9 APG, 1.4 SPG)
G Scott Martin (6-8 Sr., 9.1 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 38% FG, 72% FT, 1.7 APG)
F Pat Connaughton (6-5 Fr., 7.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 43% FG, 38% 3pt, 74% FT)
F Jack Cooley (6-9 Jr., 12.2 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 62% FG, 71% FT, 1.6 BPG)

Key Reserves:
G Alex Dragicevich (6-7 So., 7.1 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 40% FG, 34% 3pt, 73% FT, 1.4 APG)
G Joey Brooks (6-6 Jr., 3.8 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 42% FG, 44% [7/16] 3pt, 59% FT)

Keys To Victory:
– More with less. A lot of coaches are able to get a lot from a little, but no one does it as consistently or as well as Mike Brey has. Notre Dame has managed to overcome an injury to their star player for the second time in three years to find a way to position themselves among the class of the Big East, and Brey’s six-man rotation (seven if you include reserve Joey Brooks) is the reason why. Much like 2010; when the Irish went to the “burn offense” when Luke Harangody was on the shelf midway through Big East play, the Irish have reinvented themselves and exceeded expectations after losing Tim Abromaitis to a torn ACL.

– All in the family. Not only does Jerian Grant have a prior connection to Mike Brey, (both played high school basketball at perennial national powerhouse DeMatha Catholic in Maryland) he also has NBA lineage. Grant’s father Harvey was a starting forward for the Washington Bullets in the early 1990s, while his uncle Horace (Harvey’s twin brother by the way) won three NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls as a complement to Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Grant’s professional pedigree has carried over to his own game in his first season at the collegiate level, as he has averaged thirteen points and nearly five assists per game while leading the Notre Dame rotation with a 38 percent shooting clip from three-point range.

– Harangody Jr.? When you look at Jack Cooley for the first time, it’s not inconceivable to think that Luke Harangody is still on the Notre Dame roster given the striking physical resemblance both players have to one another. However, Cooley’s similarity to his predecessor goes far beyond the mirror. After being the latest in a long line of Notre Dame players to chip in off the bench before joining the starting five, Cooley has had a Harangody-like campaign in his junior season with averages of twelve points and nine rebounds per game. In Big East play, the 6-9 forward is averaging a double-double per night with fourteen points and ten rebounds per game. In fact, Cooley has ten double-doubles on the season, including six in his last nine games.

So, Who Wins?
St. John’s still has slim NIT hopes, but they would have to win each of their last three games while also taking at least two in the Big East tournament to get to .500 and boost their resume in hopes of participating in the nation’s oldest postseason tournament. For Notre Dame, this game is all about seeding. A win could keep the Irish in play for a top four seed in the NCAA Tournament provided their return trip to the Garden next week goes well, while a loss drops them into a high six/low seven seed. Each matchup between these two teams is usually close with the potential for a rout, and this one is no exception. Look for St. John’s to give the Irish all they can handle; but at the end of the day, Notre Dame’s talent and Mike Brey’s ability to get the best out of a seven-man rotation will win out. Notre Dame gets a scare, but earns the respect of the selection committee with a hard-fought road win.

Final Score: Notre Dame 74, St. John’s 66

St. John’s Looks For DePaul Sweep In Final On-Campus Home Game Of Season

February 20, 2012 by Jaden Daly Leave a Comment

Nineteen days ago, St. John’s went out to Chicago and picked up a much-needed 87-81 victory against DePaul. Since then, the Red Storm had lost four straight before Saturday’s thrilling 66-63 win over UCLA at Madison Square Garden. On the other side of the court, the Blue Demons are reeling; having lost six straight and eleven of their last twelve, with the one positive highlight being a road win against Rutgers.

It is the final appearance for Carnesecca Arena on the schedule this season, and JohnnyJungle.com will help you bid adieu to the Queens campus with all the vital information leading up to tonight’s opening tip.

Date: Monday, February 20, 2012
Location: Carnesecca Arena; Jamaica, New York
Time: 9:00 PM EST
TV: ESPNU (Carter Blackburn, Tim Welsh)
Radio: WBBR 1130 AM (John Minko, Tim O’Toole)

St. John’s Red Storm (11-16, 4-10)
Head Coach: Steve Lavin* (2nd season at STJ; 32-28, 177-106 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., 7.7 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 36% FG, 75% FT, 3.0 APG, 1.3 SPG)
G D’Angelo Harrison (6-3 Fr., 16.9 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 38% FG, 38% 3pt, 82% FT, 2.1 APG, 1.6 SPG)
F Amir Garrett (6-6 Fr., 6.2 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 44% FG, 52% FT, 1.0 APG, 1.1 SPG)
F Sir’Dominic Pointer (6-5 Fr., 6.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 40% FG, 61% FT, 1.5 APG, 1.6 SPG)
F Moe Harkless (6-8 Fr., 15.7 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 44% FG, 66% FT, 1.4 APG, 1.5 BPG, 1.7 SPG)

Key Reserves:
F God’sgift Achiuwa (6-8 Jr., 9.4 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 54% FG, 68% FT)

Keys To Victory:
– Embrace the atmosphere. When filled near or to capacity, Carnesecca Arena is not an easy place to play. The home court advantage created by a fan base that has not seen their team at their true home for two months will be something the Red Storm can feed off of while looking to improve their seeding for the upcoming Big East tournament.

– Moe-mentum. DePaul may have a bigger lineup, but the Blue Demons do not have a big man as productive as Moe Harkless has been for St. John’s. Harkless will use his raw talent and exceptional ability to create opportunities against DePaul that he could not find against teams the likes of Syracuse and Georgetown in recent games.

– 10 & 5. Usually used to describe a baseball player that has earned a full no-trade clause, it applies tonight in that this is the tenth game in which St. John’s has used an all-freshman starting lineup. Although the Red Storm have won just three games in this stretch, Mike Dunlap has positioned this team well with valuable experience that will help the handful of rookies in their sophomore campaign next season.

It’s not quite Knicks-Bulls, but St. John’s faces a group from Chicago with similar intentions of winning.

DePaul Blue Demons (11-15, 2-12)
Head Coach: Oliver Purnell (2nd season at DePaul; 18-39, 412-320 overall)

Projected Starting Lineup:
G Brandon Young (6-3 So., 14.8 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 43% FG, 75% FT, 4.8 APG, 1.5 SPG)
G Charles McKinney (6-3 Fr., 4.3 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 46% FG, 47% FT, 1.3 APG, 1.0 SPG)
G Jamee Crockett (6-4 Fr., 8.0 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 45% FG, 40% 3pt, 68% FT, 1.1 APG)
F Cleveland Melvin (6-8 So., 17.7 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 45% FG, 62% FT, 1.1 BPG)
C Krys Faber (6-10 Sr., 4.4 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 56% FG, 83% FT)

Key Reserves:
G Jeremiah Kelly (6-0 Sr., 8.9 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 41% FG, 37% 3pt, 68% FT, 3.8 APG, 1.3 SPG)
F Moses Morgan (6-6 So., 8.3 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 35% FG, 37% 3pt, 71% FT)
G Worrel Clahar (5-11 Jr., 6.4 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 51% FG, 48% 3pt, 82% FT, 2.2 APG, 1.5 SPG)
F Donnavan Kirk (6-9 So., 3.3 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 44% FG, 82% FT)

Keys To Victory:
– 15. If DePaul is able to finish ahead of Providence, it will be the first time since the 2007-08 season in which the Blue Demons have avoided the cellar in the Big East. Since the conference adopted their current tournament format, DePaul has always been the first team introduced at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday morning for the 12:00 tipoff against the No. 9 seed. At least one win (maybe two) can change that.

– Young at heart. He may not command the same attention reserved for the likes of Jordan Theodore or Scoop Jardine, but Brandon Young belongs in the conversation of best point guards in the conference. The way the sophomore has adjusted from being a shooter to a combo guard to a point man in such a short amount of time has flown under the radar, and the Blue Demons’ second-leading scorer should have his share of opportunities to put up gaudy numbers against the young Red Storm.

Deja vu? Although DePaul hasn’t played St. John’s as well as they had hoped in recent years, their last win over the Red Storm came in this building on January 12, 2008. DePaul was admittedly a better team that year, and the Blue Demons used a 16-0 run midway through the second half to hold off the Norm Roberts-led Red Storm by the final of 60-54.

So, Who Wins?
This could be the last chance for either team to pick up a Big East win with the schedules both St. John’s and DePaul have the rest of the way. For St. John’s, it could be a trap game after how DePaul nearly beat them three weeks ago; while the Blue Demons, who have only won once since upsetting Pittsburgh, need this game to improve seeding in a rare matchup where St. John’s has more to lose than their opponent. Nonetheless, expect a track meet that will slow down late in the second half enough for St. John’s to navigate the waters and come away with their fifth conference win.

Final Score: St. John’s 79, DePaul 70

East Meets West As UCLA Invades MSG

February 17, 2012 by Jaden Daly Leave a Comment

You can call it the Steve Lavin Bowl, except the coach will not be directly involved in the on-court proceedings.

Tomorrow afternoon at Madison Square Garden, Lavin’s St. John’s team faces its final non-conference test of the season when they take on Lavin’s old UCLA outfit in a rematch of last year’s homecoming for the head coach in Westwood that saw UCLA close out the Red Storm in a matchup with a foul disparity heavily favoring the Bruins. Will the program with the most championships walk away from the “Mecca of college basketball” victorious? JohnnyJungle.com catches you up on all the particulars before tomorrow’s matinee.

Date: Saturday, February 18, 2012
Location: Madison Square Garden; New York, New York
Time: 1:00 PM EST
TV: CBS (Ian Eagle, Bill Raftery)
Radio: WBBR 1130 AM (John Minko, Tim O’Toole)

St. John’s Red Storm (10-16)
Head Coach: Steve Lavin* (2nd season at STJ; 31-28, 176-106 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., 7.5 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 36% FG, 75% FT, 3.0 APG, 1.2 SPG)
G D’Angelo Harrison (6-3 Fr., 16.7 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 38% FG, 38% 3pt, 81% FT, 2.0 APG, 1.6 SPG)
F Amir Garrett (6-6 Fr., 6.1 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 43% FG, 50% FT, 1.1 APG, 1.1 SPG)
F Sir’Dominic Pointer (6-5 Fr., 6.5 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 40% FG, 59% FT, 1.5 APG, 1.0 BPG, 1.7 SPG)
F Moe Harkless (6-8 Fr., 15.9 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 45% FG, 66% FT, 1.4 APG, 1.5 BPG, 1.6 SPG)

Key Reserves:
F God’sgift Achiuwa (6-8 Jr., 9.7 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 54% FG, 68% FT)

Keys To Victory:
– Frontcourt dominance. Against big men Joshua Smith and twins David and Travis Wear, the Red Storm’s inside game will need to be stronger than ever. In that instance, look for God’sgift Achiuwa a little more often in place of Amir Garrett in an attempt to combat the interior presence of the Bruins, who drew fouls seemingly at will the last time these two teams met.

– Defend the three. This should probably be number one after the Red Storm yielded fifteen trifectas against Seton Hall on Tuesday. UCLA comes in shooting 38 percent from beyond the arc as a team, but also gives up the same clip from long range to their opponents. D’Angelo Harrison could be the central focus of the game for St. John’s, as his shooting could make or break the Red Storm tomorrow.

– De facto conference game. UCLA coach Ben Howland; who ironically enough replaced Steve Lavin in Westwood, has Big East experience from being the man who made Pittsburgh a conference powerhouse before Jamie Dixon continued the tradition at the Petersen Center. Howland’s teams are uncharacteristic of Pac-12 squads, and this Big East mentality will give the Red Storm a test comparable to the games they have played recently.

From the City of Angels comes the school known around the world for its historic run under the late great John Wooden.

UCLA Bruins (15-11)
Head Coach: Ben Howland (9th season at UCLA; 204-94, 372-192 overall)

Projected Starting Lineup:
G Lazeric Jones (6-1 Sr., 13.5 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 44% FG, 38% 3pt, 73% FT, 4.3 APG, 1.9 SPG)
G Jerime Anderson (6-2 Sr., 9.0 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 46% FG, 44% 3pt, 61% FT, 4.0 APG, 1.7 SPG)
G Tyler Lamb (6-5 So., 8.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 40% FG, 31% 3pt, 66% FT, 2.8 APG, 1.6 SPG)
F David Wear (6-10 So., 10.4 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 50% FG, 58% 3pt, 80% FT)
F Travis Wear (6-10 So., 11.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 53% FG, 43% 3pt, 82% FT, 1.1 BPG)

Key Reserves:
C Joshua Smith (6-10 So., 10.3 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 58% FG, 59% FT)
G Norman Powell (6-3 Fr., 5.1 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 40% FG, 39% 3pt, 60% FT, 1.0 APG)
C Anthony Stover (6-10 So., 0.7 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 39% FG, 33% FT, 1.5 BPG)

Keys To Victory:
– Defense. Ben Howland preaches it probably more than any other coach in the Pac-12, and it is evident in the fact that his Bruins yield just 64 points per game to their opponents on average. Against a St. John’s team that likes to get out in transition and get easy baskets, UCLA will need to channel their inner Wisconsin and employ a grinder’s mentality to close this game out.

– Ball movement. For everything that has been said about the Red Storm transition game, UCLA has one of their own that is just as (if not more) effective. Through 26 games this season, the Bruins average 14 assists and close to eight steals per contest while committing just twelve turnovers a game. Guards Lazeric Jones and Jerime Anderson; both of whom can run the point and play off the ball just as well, each average four helpers per game while also shooting at or above UCLA’s 38 percent three-point average.

– The X-factor. Joshua Smith made as much of a difference in his freshman season against the Red Storm as Gonzaga center Robert Sacre did against St. John’s in the NCAA Tournament. Because of his sheer size, (6-10 and 305 pounds) the sophomore Smith is a player that St. John’s seemingly has no answer for on paper. Smith will be the man to watch whenever UCLA gets the ball in the paint, which can happen early and often against the all-freshman Red Storm starting five.

So, Who Wins?
St. John’s, much like their last few games, has nothing to lose in this matchup. With their postseason hopes pretty much out of reach, the Red Storm can play spoiler for the remaining teams on their ledger, starting with a UCLA unit that is on the bubble in a wide-open Pac-12. For UCLA, a win over the Red Storm may not do as much for their resume as it did a year ago, but a nonconference victory at Madison Square Garden against the Big East still goes a long way with the selection committee. This will be a matchup in which the first to 60 will win, and also one where the most effective transition game comes out on top. While St. John’s excels in transition, UCLA has the experience edge; especially in the backcourt, and that gets them the W.

Final Score: UCLA 67, St. John’s 61

St. John’s Takes On Seton Hall In Meeting Across The River

February 14, 2012 by Jaden Daly Leave a Comment

To set the mood a little for this next preview. Appropriately, it’s the Bruce Springsteen classic “Meeting Across The River.” Enjoy.

Now that “The Boss” has set the scene, it’s time to take a look at Seton Hall and St. John’s. The Red Storm have never won at the Prudential Center, and are looking to crush Seton Hall’s NCAA Tournament aspirations. Below, JohnnyJungle.com previews St. John’s and a Pirate team looking for their fourth win over the Johnnies in their last five meetings.

Game Information

Date: Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Location: Prudential Center; Newark, New Jersey
Time: 7:00 PM EST
TV: SNY (Eamon McAnaney, Jim Spanarkel)
Radio: WBBR 1130 AM (John Minko, Tim O’Toole)
WABC 770 AM (Gary Cohen, Dave Popkin)
WSOU 89.5 FM/WSOU.net (Tim LeCras, T.J. Brennan)
Online: WSJURadio.org (John Sudolsky, Kieran Lynch)

St. John’s Red Storm (10-15, 4-9)
Head Coach: Steve Lavin* (2nd season at STJ; 31-27, 176-105 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., 7.4 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 36% FG, 75% FT, 3.0 APG, 1.2 SPG)
G D’Angelo Harrison (6-3 Fr., 16.9 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 39% FG, 38% 3pt, 81% FT, 2.0 APG, 1.6 SPG)
F Amir Garrett (6-6 Fr., 5.9 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 40% FG, 52% FT, 1.1 APG, 1.1 SPG)
F Sir’Dominic Pointer (6-5 Fr., 6.3 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 41% FG, 57% FT, 1.4 APG, 1.0 BPG, 1.5 SPG)
F Moe Harkless (6-8 Fr., 16.0 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 45% FG, 66% FT, 1.4 APG, 1.6 BPG, 1.6 SPG)

Key Reserves:

F God’sgift Achiuwa(6-8 Jr., 9.9 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 54% FG, 68% FT)

Keys To Victory:

-Play to their tempo. With only six men, St. John’s needs to dictate the pace of this game. However, they cannot let this contest become a track meet by the same token. Mike Dunlap and the rest of the coaching staff need to be mindful of fatigue and Seton Hall’s propensity to push the ball in transition while preparing their game plan.

-Make shots. When previewing this game with WSOU play-by-play man Jason Guerette, (a complete transcript of our interview is available when you click on the “keys to victory” for St. John’s above) he informed me that Seton Hall’s primary instinct would be to attack the basket. By getting shots to fall, the Red Storm will minimize the Pirates’ impact in the paint.

-Stay out of foul trouble. Easier said than done with a six-man rotation, but St. John’s is at their most vulnerable inside. If Moe Harkless can recapture his mid-range magic while maintaining a high post presence, St. John’s will be around longer than people expect.

Seton Hall Pirates (17-8, 6-7)
Head Coach: Kevin Willard (2nd season at SHU; 30-26, 75-75 overall)

Projected Starting Lineup:

G Jordan Theodore(6-0 Jr., 15.8 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 38% FG, 81% FT, 6.7 APG, 2.0 SPG)
G Aaron Cosby (6-2 Fr., 8.2 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 40% FG, 41% 3pt, 50% FT, 1.4 APG)
G Fuquan Edwin (6-6 So., 13.0 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 48% FG, 39% 3pt, 63% FT, 1.2 APG, 3.0 SPG)
F Brandon Mobley (6-9 Fr., 4.2 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 30% FG, 67% [8/12] FT)
F Herb Pope (6-8 Sr., 15.9 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 48% FG, 38% 3pt, 62% FT, 1.5 APG, 1.6 BPG, 1.3 SPG)

Key Reserves:

F Patrik Auda (6-9 So., 6.4 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 47% FG, 32% 3pt, 61% FT, 1.0 APG)
G Haralds Karlis (6-5 Fr., 3.4 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 34% FG, 32% 3pt, 67% [10/15] FT)

Keys To Victory:

-Ball movement and security.Seton Hall hasn’t always been effective against zone defenses, (see the Syracuse game) and the Red Storm matchup zone will almost certainly be a thorn in the Pirates’ side. If they are able to consistently move the ball, they will eventually find good shots.

-Avoid turnovers. With Kevin Willard’s penchant for defense, Seton Hall will cut down on easy baskets for the Red Storm. However, the Pirates need to step up on the offensive end and keep St. John’s in check while the all-freshman Red Storm lineup tries to strip the ball on every possession.

-Bobby Gonzalez. The man who gradually improved the Pirates’ win total during each of his four seasons as coach while also going 3-2 against St. John’s while at the helm of Seton Hall may not be around anymore, but his influence remains stronger than ever on this team. Jordan Theodore and Herb Pope are the only players to have taken the court under Bobby; while Fuquan Edwin is the last link to the former coach, as he was recruited by Gonzalez and signed before the coach’s dismissal. Not coincidentally, these three are the Pirates’ best players even under the system Kevin Willard has implemented, which is a stark contrast to the uptempo run-and-gun style Gonzalez employed.

So, Who Wins?

Making one more Bobby Gonzalez reference here, Seton Hall has dominated the metropolitan area even after changing coaches. The Pirates will be looking to go a combined 2-0 this season against St. John’s and in-state rival Rutgers, something Gonzalez did routinely. On the other side of the court, St. John’s will be looking to right the ship for their first win in the Prudential Center. That being said, this game will be a war. Seton Hall will be around until the final seconds, but this is actually a trap game for the Pirates. St. John’s talent matches up with the Hall much better than most people realize, which gives the handful of rookies in the Red Storm lineup a hard-fought victory. Expect D’Angelo Harrison to be the catalyst of a late St. John’s rally.

Final Score: St. John’s 78, Seton Hall 74

St. John’s Starts Road Trip Against Georgetown

February 12, 2012 by Jaden Daly Leave a Comment

The hits just keep coming for St. John’s.

Hours after Malik Stith left the team for personal reasons, the Red Storm suffered yet another setback at the hands of Cincinnati. In a rivalry that normally features defensive struggles, the Bearcats walked into Madison Square Garden and thoroughly decimated an undermanned St. John’s team to the tune of a 76-54 runaway.

St. John’s will once again have to resort to a six-man rotation as they enter their final seven games of the regular season; and JohnnyJungle.com gets you caught up on the first of these matchups, a meeting with No. 11 Georgetown in which the Red Storm look to avenge a 69-49 defeat at Madison Square Garden from four weeks ago.

Date: Sunday, February 12, 2012
Location: Verizon Center; Washington, D.C.
Time: 1:00 PM EST
TV: ESPN (Bob Wischusen, Fran Fraschilla)
Radio: WBBR 1130 AM (John Minko, Tim O’Toole)

St. John’s Red Storm (10-14, 4-8)
Head Coach: Steve Lavin* (2nd season at STJ; 31-26, 176-104 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 Jr., 7.4 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 35% FG, 75% FT, 2.9 APG, 1.2 SPG)
G D’Angelo Harrison (6-3 Jr., 16.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 38% FG, 38% 3pt, 81% FT, 2.0 APG, 1.6 SPG)
F Amir Garrett (6-6 Fr., 6.1 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 41% FG, 54% FT, 1.0 APG, 1.1 SPG)
F Sir’Dominic Pointer (6-5 Fr., 6.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 41% FG, 57% FT, 1.5 APG, 1.1 BPG, 1.6 SPG)
F Moe Harkless (6-8 Fr., 15.8 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 45% FG, 65% FT, 1.5 APG, 1.6 BPG, 1.6 SPG)

Key Reserves:
F God’sgift Achiuwa (6-8 Jr., 10.3 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 55% FG, 69% FT)

Keys To Victory:
– A near-perfect game. St. John’s was fortunate to have Fordham as its opponent the first time only one man came off the bench for the Red Storm; but the task, to use a Steve Lavin phrase, is much more arduous this time around. Georgetown’s Princeton offense will open up more than one spot inside against St. John’s, which forces Moe Harkless to seemingly carry the team on his back in the paint. If D’Angelo Harrison replicates his cold shooting effort against Cincinnati, it will be a long afternoon.

– Transition. The St. John’s transition game hasn’t been seen in a long time; and if it comes back to life on Sunday, Phil Greene needs to be the reason why. Although a freshman, Greene should have the edge against Georgetown’s backcourt of combo guards that have not been able to translate their game to the point as well as the Chicago native has in his rookie campaign. Greene has been playing well lately, and needs to be more of a facilitator in the early going to set the tone before deciding to attack the basket.

– Matchup zone. When they do not drive inside or go to their world-famous backdoor cuts, Georgetown has burned many opponents from long range. St. John’s will try to be mindful of this statistic when they resort to the matchup zone defense in an attempt to combat the distance shooting of the Hoyas, who shoot 36 percent from beyond the arc as a team.

Ladies and gentlemen, your scouting report on the opponent…

No. 11 Georgetown Hoyas (18-5, 8-4)
Head Coach: John Thompson III (7th season at Georgetown; 178-78, 246-120 overall)

Projected Starting Lineup:
G Markel Starks (6-2 So., 8.0 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 47% FG, 38% 3pt, 78% FT, 1.5 APG)
G Jason Clark (6-2 Sr., 15.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 50% FG, 35% 3pt, 73% FT, 1.7 APG, 1.8 SPG)
F Hollis Thompson (6-8 Jr., 13.6 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 50% FG, 48% 3pt, 69% FT, 1.5 APG)
F Nate Lubick (6-8 So., 3.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 47% FG, 50% FT, 2.0 APG)
C Henry Sims (6-10 Sr., 11.6 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 44% FG, 74% FT, 3.6 APG, 1.5 BPG)

Key Reserves:
F Otto Porter (6-8 Fr., 8.7 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 50% FG, 70% FT, 1.7 APG, 1.2 SPG)
G Jabril Trawick (6-5 Fr., 3.8 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 41% FG, 76% FT)
F Greg Whittington (6-8 Fr., 3.2 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 31% FG, 52% FT)
F Mikael Hopkins (6-9 Fr., 2.7 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 42% FG, 80% [16/20] FT)

Keys To Victory:
– Nothing too fancy. This is one game in which Georgetown can afford to play conservative against a short Red Storm bench. Eventually, St. John’s will hit a wall physically, so the Hoyas will end up coming in with a “let them beat themselves” mentality. Don’t be too surprised if the game is close in the first half before the Hoyas pour it on down the stretch.

– Swing vote. Hollis Thompson’s 48 percent clip from three-point range leads the Big East, and that number will likely improve against the distance-challenged Red Storm. Thompson; who has been one of college basketball insider Jon Rothstein‘s many player comparisons, (“so much [former Georgetown star] Brandon Bowman in Hollis Thompson”) has the ability to exploit St. John’s from both sides of the arc.

– Ivy League influence. John Thompson III is a Princeton graduate and former coach of his alma mater, and it is evident in his Hoyas team. Not only does Georgetown run the Princeton offense better than most teams in the nation, they also take high percentage shots and are quite successful in doing so. The Hoyas shoot 46 percent from the field as a team, and five of the players in their rotation shoot above that average. If St. John’s has trouble closing out defensively, Georgetown could approach 60 percent from the field for the game.

So, Who Wins?
The Red Storm and Hoyas are adversaries from a rivalry that dates back to the 1980s, when Chris Mullin and Lou Carnesecca led the then-Redmen up against Patrick Ewing and John Thompson Jr.‘s Hoyas. The two programs have not replicated their past glory, but the battles are still intense. This meeting should be no different. For St. John’s, it is a chance to prove that their maturity is exceeding expectations, while the Hoyas simply need to survive and advance. Georgetown will (regrettably) win this game convincingly; but St. John’s plays best when they have nothing to lose, which gives Red Storm fans something positive to consider when gearing up for this game.

Final Score: Georgetown 70, St. John’s 51

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