Game – Page 3

Exorcising The Demons

February 24, 2011 by Jaden Daly Leave a Comment

It hasn’t been easy for St. John’s at their on-campus venue of Carnesecca Arena in recent times. Despite their .840 winning percentage on the corner of Union and Utopia, there have been many games that got away from the Johnnies in recent years. Mercifully, tonight was not one of them.

Playing the 500th game in Carnesecca’s illustrious history, and the first as a ranked team since November of 2000 amid being overshadowed in the local media due to the Knicks’ acquisition of Carmelo Anthony, the No. 23 Red Storm (18-9, 10-5 in the Big East) picked up right where they left off against fourth-ranked Pittsburgh last Saturday with a 76-51 victory over DePaul (7-20, 1-14). The win assured St. John’s of finishing above .500 in the Big East for the first time since the 2001-02 season, which is coincidentally the last year in which the Red Storm advanced to the NCAA Tournament.

Paris Horne had a near perfect effort tonight. Missing his first dunk he flushed down his next 6 baskets to finish the night with 14 points. (Icon SMI)

“I thought our team answered the bell in terms of the challenge of sustaining the level of play we’ve had in the last eight games,” said head coach Steve Lavin, whose team has won seven of those last eight dating back to January 30th’s upset of reigning national champion Duke. “Tonight’s victory is an example of a team developing a hard edge and maturity that will bode well for us coming down the home stretch.” Dwight Hardy led all scorers with a game-high 21 points, the eleventh time Hardy has eclipsed the 20-point plateau, furthering his candidacy for the Big East Player of the Year award many assumed had already been engraved with the name of UConn’s Kemba Walker. When asked about the disparity between his team’s performance at Carnesecca compared to Madison Square Garden, (where the Johnnies are 7-1 this season) the senior from the Bronx had this to say:

“When we play here, we don’t play as well as we do at the Garden,” stated Hardy. “We didn’t want to let that happen tonight.” Although DePaul took a 7-6 lead four minutes into the game, it was the only advantage they had all night, as Hardy’s 8-of-13 shooting night coupled with the near-perfect effort from Paris Horne (14 points on 6-of-7 shooting) provided all the margin the Red Storm would need. Freshman Cleveland Melvin led the Blue Demons with 16 points and was the only DePaul player in double figures, as junior Jeremiah Kelly (nine points) was limited due to foul trouble, picking up his fourth early in the second half.

St. John’s takes its talents to the road for their next two games, first playing No. 14 Villanova this Saturday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia before making the trip across the Hudson River to face Seton Hall in Newark one week from today. Now on a five-game winning streak, the Red Storm have left quite a few lasting impressions on tonight’s sellout crowd en route to the City of Brotherly Love, and here are some of them:

Lasting Impressions

Transition and proficient shooting were the biggest factors in the 25-point win. St. John’s managed a 54 percent effort from the field, (31-for-57) which negated their 61 percent clip at the free throw line. In addition, the Johnnies outscored DePaul 42-18 in the paint and 19-0 on fast breaks; with the icing on the cake being Dwayne Polee’s (eight points) alley-oop from Malik Boothe that put St. John’s up 30.
Before tonight, the last three games at Carnesecca Arena had been decided by a grand total of five points. For the season, the total margin of victory on the corner of Union and Utopia was 26 points, just one more than this game’s 25-point cushion.
A Big East Player of the Year candidate himself, Dwight Hardy said earlier in the season that his vote would go to Providence’s Marshon Brooks. For what it’s worth, Brooks set the Dunkin’ Donuts Center on fire with his Big East single-game record 52-point performance last night against Notre Dame, albeit in a losing effort as the Friars fell to the Fighting Irish 94-93.
Here’s the key to victory that goes unnoticed: Jeremiah Kelly getting into foul trouble. Kelly’s sweet shooting was going to make or break the Blue Demons in this matchup, but he didn’t get many looks due to picking up his fourth foul early in the second half. Kelly finished with nine points, (all from beyond the arc) but credit the St. John’s defense for turning him into a nonfactor.
Finally, Dwayne Polee and Paris Horne share the game ball tonight for most impressive contributions to the cause. Polee’s eight points provided one of the more productive games the freshman has had in quite some time, while Horne’s NBA-range three and 360-degree slam in the second half slowly put the Blue Demons away.

Stair Masters

February 19, 2011 by Jaden Daly Leave a Comment

At yesterday’s pregame press conference, St. John’s head coach Steve Lavin treated the media members in attendance to a visual aid: His use of a white board to demonstrate his technique of “climbing the stairs,” which involved Lavin drawing a staircase on the board listing the name of each team the Red Storm had beaten over the course of the 18-game Big East schedule and the team’s subsequent record at the conclusion of the game. The board after today’s game now has a different name and set of numbers on it, and it will look something like this:

“Pittsburgh, 9-5.”

It wasn’t a smooth climb to the final step, but Dwight Hardy’s game-winning reverse layup with just over a second remaining in regulation propelled the Johnnies (17-9, 9-5 in the Big East) to the summit by providing the final margin in a 60-59 victory over fourth-ranked Pittsburgh. (24-3, 12-2) The win is St. John’s fifth against Top 25 teams and fourth against those ranked within the Top 10; and it also improved the Storm to 7-1 this season at Madison Square Garden. After being considered giant killers throughout the season to this point, it’s now possible for St. John’s to enter next week with a number next to their name in the new Associated Press and coaches’ polls for the first time since November of 2000 after following up their impressive road win over Marquette with their upset this afternoon inside the “World’s Most Famous Arena.”

Dwight Hardy drives under the rim for game-winning underhand layup to lift St. John's past No. 4 Pittsburgh 60-59. (RedStormSports.com)

“It’s been four long years without one of those numbers,” said Justin Burrell; one of three Johnnies in double figures today with 15 points and eight rebounds off the bench. Dwight Hardy once again led the way for the Red Storm with 19 points, but none bigger than the final two of the day. “When I tried to turn back to see (Justin) Brownlee, my defender shifted. I just kind of flipped it up there and it rolled right in. To this point, it’s the biggest shot I’ve made in my life,” said the senior guard of his game-winner. Hardy also commented on his team’s success at the Garden, stating that it “gives us an advantage” in next month’s Big East tournament, an event in which the Johnnies are much closer to acquiring a first-round bye in. The coach of the Red Storm is still leaving postseason discussion to the experts, but had this to say when describing his team shortly after Hardy referred to him as “the calmest out of everybody” in the St. John’s huddle.

“I think we’re ahead of schedule in terms of the high level of basketball that we’ve played over the last six or seven games,” said head coach Steve Lavin on St. John’s having won six of their last seven dating back to their January 30th upset of then-No. 3 Duke at the Garden. “We’re really pleased that we’re able to continue this run,” Lavin continued. “I think one of the traits that’s really starting to develop with this team is resiliency.” Ashton Gibbs continued to progress in his return from an MCL injury, leading all scorers with 26 points off the bench on 8-of-14 shooting (6-for-9) from beyond the arc, much to the delight of Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon. “He obviously played well, no question about it,” said Dixon after conceding that the day belonged to the victors. “It’s a really tough loss for us. I’m proud of how we played, proud of how we handled things,” said Dixon of the Panthers’ second Big East defeat and first since their loss last month against Notre Dame at the Petersen Center.

St. John’s now looks for its sixth consecutive Big East win this Wednesday night when they return home to Carnesecca Arena to face a suddenly hot DePaul team that defeated Providence on the road Thursday and almost upset Villanova this afternoon before ultimately falling to the Wildcats in overtime. Until then, we leave the emotional high of today’s contest and prepare you for what lies ahead with the ever-popular lasting impressions.

Lasting Impressions

Rebounding and energy were the keys to victory for both teams entering today’s matchup, and St. John’s won one while contesting the other to a draw. Pitt claimed the opening tip, but any momentum the Panthers looked for after taking a 2-0 lead was quickly snuffed out by a pair of threes from Dwight Hardy and D.J. Kennedy that started a 10-1 Red Storm run that put the Johnnies up seven in the early going.
Aside from Ashton Gibbs, all of Pittsburgh’s other key players were largely overshadowed. Brad Wanamaker (six points, four rebounds, four assists) and Gary McGhee (seven points, five rebounds) were rendered into supporting players due to lack of offensive rhythm and foul trouble, respectively. To expand on the foul calls, Pittsburgh ended the game with four of its players having accumulated four fouls.
The turning point of the game occurred halfway through the second half when McGhee picked up his fourth foul, but it ironically helped Pitt as they went on a 12-3 run over the next three minutes. St. John’s then fought back and kept it within five points the rest of the way.
Once again, St. John’s used a decisive advantage at the free throw line to gradually put its opponent away. The Red Storm went to the line 32 times, (23 in the second half) and converted 23 of those foul shots for a 72 percent clip, a stark contrast from Pitt’s 10-for-18 (56 percent) effort at the charity stripe.
Finally, St. John’s cemented its NCAA Tournament credentials this afternoon. While they most likely would have been in no matter what happened today, their impressive and valiant effort was contested primarily for a higher seed when the selection committee meets three weeks from tomorrow to set the 68-team field. Before this afternoon, the Red Storm looked no better than a No. 7 seed; but it’s safe to say that St. John’s may have played itself into as far up as a No. 5 with their latest quality win.

Punching the Golden Ticket

February 16, 2011 by Jaden Daly Leave a Comment

Steve Lavin was just 17 months old the last time St. John’s defeated Marquette, while Golden Eagles coach Buzz Williams wasn’t even born yet. In a matchup where one school owned a winning streak against the other going back to the Lyndon Johnson administration, one school took a major step toward returning to the limelight, while the other saw their hopes take a significant hit.

Playing on the road for the second time in three nights following their upset of then-No. 9 Connecticut, the Johnnies (16-9, 8-5 in the Big East) snapped a 45-year schneid with an 80-68 victory over Marquette; (15-11, 6-7) the first over the Golden Eagles since February 26, 1966. Four players had double-figure scoring efforts for the Red Storm last night, led by Dwight Hardy’s game-high 28. The Storm are now 8-0 this season when at least four players tally ten or more points. D.J. Kennedy added 15, with Justin Brownlee’s 11 and Justin Burrell’s 10-point, 12-rebound effort accounting for the other bright spots in a game designated as a must-win for St. John’s in order to preserve its chances of returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2002.

Jimmy Butler led the Golden Eagles with 23 while newcomer Jae Crowder fell one rebound short of a double-double, posting 15 points and nine rebounds. For Marquette, the loss drops them under .500 in the Big East following their road defeat Sunday afternoon at the hands of a Georgetown team that has now won eight straight conference games after dropping four of their first five. The Golden Eagles will now welcome Seton Hall into the Bradley Center for their next game Saturday night, while St. John’s returns home to face fourth-ranked Pittsburgh in a noon matinee at Madison Square Garden, where the Storm have won six of seven this season; the last four of which coming against Top 25 teams (Three of those four were in the Top 10).

Interested in the factors behind the win, or maybe some perspective on the season for the Johnnies up to this point? That’s what tonight’s lasting impressions are for.

Lasting Impressions
– It could be argued that this past Sunday started a new season for St. John’s after their upset win over UConn; and just as they did in their first two Big East contests, the Johnnies opened with back-to-back road wins.
– Justin Brownlee’s highlight reel dunk provided the turning point of the game in the second half, pulling St. John’s within five (45-40) before going on a 40-23 run for the duration of the game.
– The Red Storm defense and Malik Boothe pick up game balls for their efforts last night, with a plus-10 turnover margin (forcing 18 while only committing eight) and the little man facilitating action that the box score won’t indicate.
– Darius Johnson-Odom has made the motor run for Marquette all season, and the Golden Eagles could have used him tonight. Although the junior, described by coach Buzz Williams as a “hoops savant,” had 14 points, he was largely hindered by four fouls that kept him from showcasing his first-team all-Big East potential.
– Finally, this game hurt Marquette just as much as it helped St. John’s. The Golden Eagles do not have an easy stretch run, and will likely need to pick up a win or two in the Big East tournament just to get back on the bubble; while the Johnnies are seemingly in barring a meltdown. Three wins in their last five (it’s not impossible) would place the Storm at 19-11 and 11-7 in the Big East.

Kings of the Queen City

February 13, 2011 by Jaden Daly Leave a Comment

In recent years, a certain team would have fallen to pieces down the stretch after yielding a 16-1 run and finishing the game’s last nine minutes without a field goal. This is a different team; and in a town once full of losers, this new-look squad is pulling out of it to win.

Despite not making a shot from the field since Dwight Hardy’s three-pointer with 8:59 remaining in regulation put St. John’s up 52-40, the Red Storm (15-9, 7-5 in the Big East) outlasted a scrappy Cincinnati team (19-6, 6-6) that made the Johnnies earn every last free throw that proved critical in the waning moments en route to a 59-57 Red Storm win on the road at Fifth Third Arena. Although he didn’t post a third consecutive 30-point game, Dwight Hardy paced the boys from Queens with 18 points; while Justin Brownlee added 16, perhaps none bigger than the game-winning free throw with 3.5 seconds remaining in regulation that provided the final margin for a team that has a very good chance to make its long-awaited return to the NCAA Tournament barring a meltdown.

St. John’s shot 50 percent from the field (23-for-46) and 75 percent (9-for-12) from the foul line in the winning effort today, stark contrasts from the lackluster shooting effort from the field and 46 percent (12-f0r-26) showing from the charity stripe the first time these two teams met on January 22nd at Carnesecca Arena, a matchup the Bearcats won 53-51 behind Yancy Gates‘ (held scoreless today) game-winning jumper. Brownlee, whose attempt to tie the game last month was unsuccessful against Cincinnati, was the offensive catalyst today with a 7-for-9 shooting effort. For the Bearcats, their willingness to live and die by the outside shot in the early going proved critical throughout, as they were only able to get into an effective rhythm from beyond the arc. Of their 19 field goals, 11 were trifectas. Sixth man Sean Kilpatrick led the way for the Bearcats with 15 points off the bench, while Dion Dixon (12 points) and Rashad Bishop (10) were the only other players in double figures for coach Mick Cronin, whose NCAA Tournament status is now shakier than it was going into today’s game. Cincinnati has quality wins over Dayton and Xavier, but has a soft schedule when compared to their Big East counterparts; as well as losses to bubble teams the likes of West Virginia and this St. John’s team, not to mention a close call against DePaul.

Next up for St. John’s will be Marquette on the road Tuesday night, as the Johnnies look to bolster an already impressive resume with yet another quality Big East win. The next game on the ledger, as well as some happenings from today’s matinee will be the focus of the latest lasting impressions as the Red Storm head into the Bradley Center.

Lasting Impressions

St. John’s looks to end a long losing streak to Marquette when the two teams lock horns Tuesday night. Despite losing each of their last two matchups against the Golden Eagles by just two points, St. John’s has not emerged victorious against Marquette since February 26, 1966. Just to put the length of that drought into perspective, coach Steve Lavin was just 17 months old the last time St. John’s defeated the Golden Eagles, while Marquette head man Buzz Williams wasn’t even born yet.
Very rarely do you see a team win a game without making a field goal over the final nine minutes, but credit the matchup zone of St. John’s and its eventual transition into a man-to-man package for stifling Cincinnati down the stretch. At various points in the second half, the Bearcats were clearly uncomfortable on the offensive end; and struggled to find a confident look from the field.
Malik Boothe, whose two free throws gave St. John’s the lead for good after Cincinnati came back to take a four-point advantage, may have had deja vu in his mind when he was at the line. For those who don’t remember, Boothe calmly drained two free throws against West Virginia in his freshman season (2007-08) in the last game of the year at Madison Square Garden that gave the Johnnies the lead before Joe Mazzulla sent it into overtime with his uncontested coast-to-coast layup.
With the win today, St. John’s moves into a tie for fifth in the Big East at 7-5 in conference, joining Villanova after the Wildcats’ heartbreaking loss to Pittsburgh last night at the Pavilion. With the Johnnies going to Villanova on February 26th, this win looms just as large as the impending head-to-head matchup that will have a profound effect on conference tiebreakers that will ultimately determine Big East tournament seeding.
Finally, regarding the chances for the Red Storm to make its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2002: Assuming St. John’s can split their remaining six games, (at Marquette, vs. Pittsburgh, vs. DePaul, at Villanova, at Seton Hall, vs. South Florida) they will end the regular season 18-12 with a 10-8 mark inside the Big East. Given their Top 20 RPI and the strongest schedule in the country, it’s not a lock that the Storm will be dancing, but the outlook has not been this bright in a long time.

Garden Catches Jungle Fever

February 11, 2011 by Jaden Daly Leave a Comment

New York City is referred to by many as the “concrete jungle.” The St. John’s University student section is commonly dubbed the “Johnny jungle,” which of course provided the reason behind the name of this website. Combine those two elements and you get a stifling atmosphere for any visiting team on any given night. Just ask UConn coach Jim Calhoun.

Paris Horne & DJ Kennedy — St. John's defense stifled Kemba Walker tonight as DJ Kennedy and Paris Horne shut him down as Walker attempts to drive the lane. (AP/Frank Franklin)

In a performance that was equal parts stunning and impressive as the last game the Johnnies played at Madison Square Garden, St. John’s (14-9, 6-5 in the Big East) used 54 second-half points and a career-high 33 from Dwight Hardy to handily defeat Connecticut (18-5, 6-5) by the final of 89-72. It was the second straight effort in which the Red Storm thoroughly dominated UConn, as they blew past the Huskies 73-51 in the opening round of last March’s Big East tournament held on the same court at the “World’s Most Famous Arena.”

“They just outplayed us for forty minutes,” said a blunt Calhoun after the game. “They outworked us and we didn’t give them the type of resistance that we have all year.” UConn only led twice throughout the game, with both occasions coming in the first half after three-pointers from Kemba Walker (15 points, seven assists) and Jamal Coombs-McDaniel. St. John’s answered the first lead change with an 11-0 run, and countered the next with a 14-0 stretch that included a Malik Boothe half court buzzer-beater that sent the Johnnies to the locker room with a 35-31 lead at the intermission.

That shot was just the beginning for the Red Storm, who shot 71 percent (17-for-24) from the field in the second half and converted all of their 16 free throw attempts in the final stanza. Aside from Hardy posting a career-best point total for the second consecutive game, (he had 32 last Saturday in the losing effort at UCLA) D.J. Kennedy had his best performance of the season to this point, posting 20 points and 11 rebounds. The Pittsburgh native has credited his new coaching staff with helping him stay positive, and tonight was no different. “When you have a staff that has confidence in you, it makes the game easier for you,” said Kennedy, who was flanked by Hardy and coach Steve Lavin in their post game press conference.

While the players offered opinions on how much this win would bolster an already impressive resume that includes home victories over Top 10 teams such as Duke and Notre Dame, their coach remained grounded while keeping his focus on the Johnnies’ next opponent, a Cincinnati team that stole a win from the Storm on January 22nd at Carnesecca Arena. “I thought it was another sustained effort, especially in terms of our execution offensively,” stated Lavin. “I think our pressure over the course of the game had a cumulative effect in wearing UConn down.”

Looking ahead to the Bearcats and their collision in Ohio Sunday afternoon, the coach offered this pearl of wisdom. “I think Cincinnati is going to be the biggest game of the season, then Marquette after that. Each game is going to be amplified because the stakes are higher.”

Cincinnati is indeed next on the calendar for St. John’s; but since it’s still two days away, we’ll take the time to enjoy the moment and savor the significance of another quality win by upholding the latest tradition to hit the corner of Union and Utopia, the ever-popular lasting impressions.

Lasting Impressions

Transition offense was the star of the show for St. John’s tonight. Not only did the Red Storm outscore UConn 40-18 in the paint, but they also won the game by putting up 27 fast break points to just a pair for the Huskies. This was one of the many factors of the game that irritated Jim Calhoun, who said that “every aspect you can possibly name” bothered him about tonight’s effort.
A game ball definitely goes to D.J. Kennedy tonight. The senior who was projected to be the team leader at the start of the season posted his second double-double of the 2010-11 campaign with 20 points and 11 rebounds, his only other one coming on New Year’s Eve in Morgantown against West Virginia in the Red Storm’s 81-71 road win against the Mountaineers in their Big East opener.
After months of struggling to perfect it, it appeared as though St. John’s has mastered the matchup zone based on their latest rendition tonight against UConn. Although Kemba Walker managed 15 points, the future NBA lottery pick was largely overshadowed throughout the night. In fact, forward Alex Oriakhi was the brightest light on the Connecticut bench over the first 20 minutes, while fellow frontcourt partner Roscoe Smith made a name for himself down the stretch.
Steve Lavin said after the game that he told his players that the game would be decided by rebounding. The coach was proven right as St. John’s picked up a 43-33 victory on the glass against the Huskies, who usually have a strong interior game.
Not only did Dwight Hardy post a new career-high for the second time in as many games, he also became the first St. John’s player with consecutive 30-point games (32 against UCLA last Saturday, 33 tonight against UConn) since Marcus Hatten did it against Seton Hall and Providence in 2003. From a team perspective, St. John’s has now defeated both UConn and Duke in the same season for the first time since the 1999-2000 season. That was also the last season in which the Johnnies won the Big East tournament.
Finally, there really is no place like home. Three years ago, St. John’s played seven games inside Madison Square Garden and finished with a record of 1-6; with the lone win coming in their first game that season at the “World’s Most Famous Arena,” a 62-59 victory against Marist on December 28, 2007 in the semifinals of the Holiday Festival. Three seasons and a new head coach later, St. John’s has again played seven games at the Garden; (with one more coming next Saturday against Pittsburgh) but have undergone a complete reversal of fortune with a 6-1 mark, the sole blemish being a 76-59 defeat at the hands of Syracuse on January 12th.

« Previous Page