Road game against a team that finished ahead of just one other school in the Big East last year. On the surface, that sounds like a recipe for success. However, there is more to St. John’s than meets the eye, and not all of it is pleasant.
After allowing a 50 percent effort from the field in the opening half, the Red Storm (8-10, 2-4) were never able to seize control of what turned out to be a 64-49 loss to the University of South Florida, (11-8, 4-2) who got a game-high 24 points from Victor Rudd.
St. John’s held serve with USF early; but a 10-2 run to start the second half, capped off by a Rudd three-pointer, was all the offense the Bulls would need on a night where they led the Red Storm by as many as 21 points.
St. John’s faces Villanova in their next game this Saturday at Madison Square Garden, but last night’s lasting impressions will take a closer look at a team whose youth and lack of depth may finally be catching up to them.
Lasting Impressions
– First and foremost, St. John’s continued their perennial struggles when donning their alternate black jerseys. Since the polarizing uniforms were introduced, the Red Storm have only won one game in their third colors. Ironically, that victory came last March against the USF team that picked up their first win over St. John’s since joining the Big East from Conference USA in 2006.
– The inability to find a third scorer to complement the duo of Moe Harkless and D’Angelo Harrison continued last night. No Red Storm player posted more than twelve points; and with teams such as Syracuse and Duke still on St. John’s ledger, this problem needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.
– Victor Rudd picks up game ball honors for posting 24 points, all of which came in the second half. USF head coach Stan Heath raved about him when we spoke at Big East media day, and the Arizona State transfer proved his coach right with the game of his life against St. John’s.
– Finally, the sad reality surrounding this team is that the honeymoon is over from last year. Yes, this team may only be playing seven-deep; and Steve Lavin may be on the shelf, but that doesn’t change the fact that this group is still trying to find themselves and sometimes, rather unfortunately, cannot get out of their own way. One-third of the way through the Big East schedule; the Red Storm are growing up ahead of schedule in what basically amounts to baptism by fire, but back-to-back games in which the dynamic halfcourt offense was stifled will have the coaching staff working a little harder to prepare for a Villanova team that has taken a major step back compared to the Wildcats of years past.
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