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
They beat them to open last season, they have not lost five in a row.