One day after another, it seems as though the hits keep coming for St. John’s.
Just 72 hours removed from a shocking home loss to Northeastern, it was revealed that head coach Steve Lavin would not be making a return to the bench anytime soon after he told ESPN’s Andy Katz that he may have come back too early.
Assistant coach Mike Dunlap will be filling in for the foreseeable future, which begins Thursday night in Lexington when the Red Storm take on top-ranked Kentucky as part of the SEC/Big East Challenge.
Can the Johnnies play giant killers once again after taking down six Top 25 teams one season ago? JohnnyJungle.com gets you caught up on the battle between the Red Zone and Big Blue Nation.
Date: Thursday, December 1, 2011
Location: Rupp Arena; Lexington, Kentucky
Time: 7:30 PM EST
TV: ESPN2 (Dan Shulman, Dick Vitale, Shannon Spake)
Radio: WBBR 1130 AM (John Minko, Tim O’Toole)
St. John’s Red Storm (4-3)
Head Coach: Steve Lavin (2nd season, 25-15; 170-93 overall)
Projected Starting Lineup:
G Nurideen Lindsey (6-3 So., 14.4 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 49% FG, 58% FT, 3.6 APG, 2.0 SPG)
G Phil Greene (6-2 Fr., 5.4 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 41% FG, 33% 3pt, 60% FT, 1.3 APG, 1.0 SPG)
G D’Angelo Harrison (6-3 Fr., 14.3 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 39% FG, 34% 3pt, 80% FT, 1.4 APG, 1.6 SPG)
F God’sgift Achiuwa (6-8 Jr., 11.3 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 58% FG, 74% FT, 1.1 BPG)
F Moe Harkless (6-8 Fr., 14.1 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 44% FG, 57% FT, 1.6 APG, 1.9 BPG, 1.9 SPG)
Key Reserves:
F Sir’Dominic Pointer (6-5 Fr., 5.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 60% FG, 60% 3pt, 41% FT, 1.0 SPG)
G Malik Stith (5-11 Jr., 4.4 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 52% FG, 50% 3pt, 71% FT, 1.4 APG)
Keys To Victory:
– Do it for Lav. With Steve Lavin not expected back anytime soon, St. John’s enters this matchup with a little more to play for than they normally would. Throw in the No. 1 team in the country, and the adrenaline will be at an all-time high for most of these players. However, in order to beat a group like Kentucky, the Red Storm will have to play a near-perfect game in enemy territory. Expect to see more of a grinding effort on both sides of the ball, in an attempt to minimize a high-octane Kentucky offense that averages 84 points per game.
– Bombs away. Against a Kentucky team that shoots a deadly 41 percent from three-point range, the opportunity to get into a long-range shootout will be closer than at any point so far this season. The only problem with that is that St. John’s has struggled beyond the arc this season while trying to get their young roster open looks from outside. If D’Angelo Harrison can get one to fall, expect the Texan to push the envelope and try to singlehandedly lift the Johnnies to victory.
– Sweet Georgia Brown. When he met the media for the first time this season, Malik Stith referred to St. John’s as a “‘super’ AAU team.” If that’s what St. John’s is, then Kentucky could very well be considered the Harlem Globetrotters of college basketball. To avoid turning themselves into the Washington Generals, the Red Storm will need to convert on each possession, including forcing the issue on a Kentucky team that commits just thirteen turnovers a night on average.
And, now, the number one in the country, the University of Kentucky.
No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats (6-0)
Head Coach: John Calipari (3rd season at UK, 70-12; 515-152 overall*, 473-150 after vacated wins)
Projected Starting Lineup:
G Marquis Teague (6-2 Fr., 11.7 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 52% FG, 50% 3pt, 59% FT, 4.0 APG, 2.0 SPG)
G Doron Lamb (6-4 So., 14.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 46% FG, 46% 3pt, 89% FT, 2.8 APG)
F Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (6-7 Fr., 12.5 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 50% FG, 33% 3pt, 73% FT, 1.7 APG, 1.3 BPG, 1.8 SPG)
F Terrence Jones (6-9 So., 13.3 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 51% FG, 67% 3pt, 70% FT, 2.2 APG, 2.2 BPG)
F Anthony Davis (6-10 Fr., 12.7 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 71% FG, 53% FT, 1.3 APG, 4.3 BPG, 1.2 SPG)
Key Reserves:
G Darius Miller (6-8 Sr., 8.5 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 46% FG, 31% 3pt, 80% FT, 3.2 APG, 1.2 SPG)
F Kyle Wiltjer (6-9 Fr., 7.8 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 45% FG, 31% 3pt, 78% FT, 1.0 APG, 1.0 BPG)
Keys To Victory:
– Charity begins at home. Every John Calipari team seems to struggle at the free throw line, even before the missed foul shots that cost Coach Cal the 2008 national championship at Memphis. The Wildcats are no exception this year, only shooting 69 percent at the charity stripe. Being that St. John’s is no stranger to drama at the foul line, this game could be won or lost there. Kentucky does have a number of proficient free throw shooters, though, namely guard Doron Lamb. (89 percent)
– Magnificent seven. Kentucky also employs a seven-man rotation for the most part, much like their opponents Thursday night. However, what sets them apart from St. John’s is that their players are more versatile; and can be used in a number of different situations. For example, if Terrence Jones or Michael Kidd-Gilchrist gets into foul trouble, John Calipari can go to freshman Kyle Wiltjer and plug him into the same position to keep his lineup intact. Sharpshooter Darius Miller can also come in to either replace Marquis Teague at the point or play off the ball in place of Lamb.
– You can’t teach height. Not only does UK possess power forward Terrence Jones, they also have a 6-10 freshman forward out of Chicago named Anthony Davis. Maybe you’ve heard of him. The freakishly gifted Davis has been projected to be the top pick in next year’s NBA draft, and with good reason. Through just a half-dozen games, the big man is averaging just under 13 points and slightly over eight rebounds per game, while also providing over four blocked shots in every contest on average. If you look at Davis up close, his frame and style is reminiscent of another prospect who came out of Chicago before taking his talents to the NBA, and that is future Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett.
So, Who Wins?
This game is one matchup where a great team goes up against a good team. It’s not quite the David vs. Goliath battle that some are holding it out to be, because St. John’s has already demonstrated on two occasions this season that it could contend with Top 25 programs. Kentucky just has to keep doing what they’ve done through their first six games, and that is force the issue early and often. St. John’s will stay in this game longer than most envision simply due to their big hearts and refuse-to-lose mentality, but Kentucky ultimately comes out on top here.
Final Score: Kentucky 74, St. John’s 57
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