Weathering The Storm

Playing a team that survived a bitter fight against its intrastate rival just 24 hours ago, St. John’s wasn’t going to have it easy in their 2011 Big East tournament debut.  Nothing could have been further from the truth today as the Red Storm (21-10) used five free throws and an angel on their shoulders to outlast Rutgers (15-17) in the second round of the Big East tournament at Madison Square Garden.  The fifth-seeded Johnnies will next face fourth seed Syracuse tomorrow afternoon in the quarterfinals.

After squandering a lead only to get it back inside the final minute with foul shots from Dwight Hardy, (17 points) Sean Evans, (13 points, nine rebounds) and D.J. Kennedy; (11 points) St. John’s caught a break when Justin Brownlee (13 points, six rebounds) appeared to step out of bounds after stealing an inbounds pass received by Rutgers’ Gilvydas Biruta. Brownlee then proceeded to throw the ball into the stands before the final buzzer, but the officials did not call either apparent infraction against Brownlee or St. John’s.

Had an official blew the whistle, Rutgers would have received two free throws to potentially tie the game; as Brownlee’s toss of the ball would have been grounds for a technical foul, and one more possession in regulation. Before the Brownlee play, St. John’s turned the ball over off an inbounds themselves, as Hardy could not hold on. “The ball fell right out of my hands,” said the senior point guard and recipient of the Big East’s Most Improved Player award. “It’s my fault I didn’t catch that pass.” Despite the victory, the Red Storm praised their opposition in a selfless manner. “They’re a better team than they were the first time we faced them,” said head coach Steve Lavin. “That’s because none of their players let go of the rope.” Dwight Hardy later went on to add that the Scarlet Knights “did a great job” contesting his shots. After a heartbreaking defeat, Rutgers’ head man showed just why he truly is an even better human being than in-game strategist by taking the high road.

“It is what it is,” said a visibly crestfallen Mike Rice after the game. “They (the players) handled it like men and I’m proud of them.  There’s going to be blood coming through my tongue, but it is what it is.  We’re going to control how we respond.” Rice’s team fought hard once again as they do every time they take the court, even with star forward Jonathan Mitchell limited to just eight points after being hindered by foul trouble early in the second half. “I loved the toughness of the team,” said Rice. “They just kept fighting.  It’s such a different team, and I’m proud of these guys.  It was a process through time and putting them through chaos. They became comfortable with that and really embraced it.” In addition to Mitchell, Mike Coburn (11 points) and James Beatty, who led Rutgers with 15, played their final games in a Scarlet Knights uniform. “I can’t hang my head on anything at all,” said Beatty, who opened the second half on fire by draining three consecutive three-pointers that cut St. John’s lead down to two points. “I’m so proud of my teammates. Everybody stayed together from day one.”

It was a tragic end to a much better season than anyone associated with Rutgers could ask for; and albeit under somewhat tainted circumstances, the dream campaign continues on for St. John’s tomorrow afternoon.  Before the Red Storm and Orange tip off, here are the numerous lasting impressions of today’s hardwood war:

Lasting Impressions

• St. John’s improved to 11-0 with at least four players scoring in double figures, and the balanced attack must continue for the Johnnies to contend with a multifaceted Syracuse team with four proven scoring options.
• Regarded in this space to be the Rocky Balboa of the Big East, Rutgers showed why once again.  Jonathan Mitchell managed just eight points in his final collegiate game due to foul trouble, but James Beatty, Mike Coburn and Gilvydas Biruta (his second consecutive dominant game) picked up the slack in Mitchell’s absence.
• Rutgers also overcame a 27 percent (9-for-33) shooting performance from the field in the first half to pull off the near-upset.  Beatty’s three consecutive triples to open the second half and a Rutgers team that outrebounded the Storm 18-11 on the offensive glass kept the Scarlet Knights in contention throughout the day.
• You have to wonder exactly how much St. John’s has left tomorrow facing a Syracuse team coming in off a double bye and a 48-point thrashing of DePaul in its regular season finale.  It will be interesting to see which team has the most ill effects tomorrow afternoon: St. John’s playing its second game in as many days, or Syracuse playing its first credible opponent (no disrespect to DePaul) since their February 26th matchup with Georgetown.
• Finally, if there was a reason not to root for Mike Rice before today’s game, there clearly isn’t one anymore.  He may be among the most intense coaches ever, but his teams always fight hard and play to inspire.  Today was no exception even after being victimized by ambiguous officiating, as Rice earned additional respect for his postgame discretion in handling the circumstances.  With a talented recruiting class making its way into Piscataway next year, look out for the team on the banks of the old Raritan to make a run into the upper half of the Big East next season.