cincinnati bearcats

NEW YORK — Dwight Hardy knew how much St. John’s needed a win. He and his teammates had another thought on their minds as well — ruin Lance Stephenson’s homecoming.

Hardy matched his career high with 19 points, including the tying and winning free throws in the final 8.5 seconds, and the Red Storm snapped a three-game losing streak with a 52-50 victory over Cincinnati and its heralded freshman on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.

DHardyvsGA — Dwight Hardy scored 19 points going 6-6 from the free throw line sinking 4 of them in the last 10 seconds of the game to win.

“We just wanted to spoil his homecoming basically,” Hardy said. “They needed a win but we needed it more being that we didn’t have a win in Big East play. So we just wanted to get in his head and keep him from scoring as many points as possible.”

Stephenson struggled all game but it did seem he and the Bearcats were going to be on the right end of the final score but they couldn’t get the ball inbounds in the final 10 seconds and Hardy turned the two turnovers into the deciding free throws.

“Our guys really stayed tough at the end of the game and made some huge plays,” St. John’s coach Norm Roberts said. “Hardy stepped in there and made some plays.”

Hardy stole a long inbounds pass by Rashad Bishop, was fouled with 8.5 seconds left and made both free throws to tie the game at 50.

He then stole another inbounds pass by Bishop — this one at the free throw line — and was fouled as he went to shoot with 7.6 seconds left. Hardy made both free throws and Deonta Vaughn’s 3 for the win with a second left bounced off the rim.

Hardy finished 6 of 6 at the free throw line, while the Red Storm (11-5, 1/3 Big East) were 11 of 20. Hardy came into the game shooting 71 percent at the line.

“What we have to do, in the last 10 seconds, is not blow the game,” Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin said. “They are a good team, they have good players and are in a must-win situation. We met the challenge and had the game won. I am not going to act like the sky is falling. We had the game won. There are a lot of positives except the last 10 seconds.”

Yancy Gates had 12 points to lead the Bearcats (11-6, 2-3), while Stephenson had seven points on 3-of-9 shooting, five assists and six of Cincinnati’s season-high 21 turnovers.

Stephenson, New York’s all-time leading high school scorer with 2,946 points at Lincoln H.S., was booed by the St. John’s fans in the crowd every time he touched the ball.

“I don’t worry about the crowd. I just play the game,” Stephenson said. “You can’t worry about the crowd, what they say or do.”

The Bearcats entered the game last in the 16-team Big East in 3-point shooting at 29.4 percent and they missed all 12 shots they took behind the arc on Wednesday.

Stephenson lost for the first time at Madison Square Garden after winning four New York City championship games here. The Red Storm have played a lot more games than that here.

“Every time you win at the Garden, it’s awesome. Every time you win a Big East game, it’s awesome. Because it’s hard, very hard,” Roberts said. “I keep telling my team that we’re going to have to grind out a win. … Because we’re really, really close. So I’m really happy that we were able to get the victory today.”

Courtesy of the Associated Press

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lance stphenson rebound — Lance Stephenson vs. Seton Hall. By IconSMI

It was hard for St. John’s fans watching Lance pick his school late – after obviously spurning St. John’s and waiting for some other school, perhaps Kansas, to pick up his commitment. And then, it’s not like he picked some good looking school with a track record – he picked Cincinnati. That’s the equivalent of having a girl you’ve been pining for pick some funny-looking milquetoast douchebag whose jokes are painfully unfunny, who people tolerate more than like, a cloying mediocrity…

Which begs the self-searching question, “what’s wrong with me?” Especially after Lance states in an interview with SNY’s Adam Zagoria,

“I felt Cincinnati was more of a family and I felt Mick could help me be a better play[er] and I felt he was a better coach.”

Ouch. Harsh words from a guy who spent a good chunk of time with the St. John’s players in pick up games.

For the Red Storm, the ongoing Lance tale reads like a teen movie, though the male antagonist usually looks more like U Conn than Cincy, a school with some recent success but has struggled in recent years. But they’ve bulked up a little, even if they’re not as smooth as solid and dependable as conference-mate Pitt, as cerebral as Marquette, as stylish as Notre Dame. The 25th ranked Bearcats have a lot of depth, athleticism, and muscle, and they were hoping that Lance Stephenson was the missing piece to take them to the NCAAs.

Meanwhile, St. John’s is 0-3 in the Big East, with tough road losses against Louisville and Georgetown, and a bad loss against Providence at home. The Red Storm return home with vocal frustration after Saturday’s game:

“I don’t think everyone’s head is in the right place right now…(It) might not be (just) playing in the games. It starts in the practices and everywhere. I don’t think we’re all together yet.”

It’s time for the team to get it together and show the Bearcats – and the fans – the season’s just started.

Game Information

Tip Off: 7:00 PM, Wednesday, January 13
Location: Madison Square Garden
TV: ESPNU/ ESPN 360
Radio: Bloomberg 1130/ WSJU

Team Reviews

Cincinnati (11-5, 2-2)

5 G Deonta Vaughn SR 6’2 175: 11.8 ppg* 3.6 apg* 1.25 spg* 36.2% 3PT

33 G Lance Stephenson FR 6’5 210: 12.7 ppg* 4.8 rpg* 2.8 apg* 15.8% 3PT

22 G Rashad Bishop JR 6’6 225: 7.5 ppg* 4.9 rpg

34 F Yancy Gates SO 6’9 260:10.6 ppg* 6.6 rpg* 1.4 bpg* 55.4% FG

42 C Steven Toyloy SR 6’8 255: 4 ppg* 4.2 rpg* 50% FG

Bench

3 G Dion Dixon SO 6’3 195: 19.6 mpg* 7.4 ppg* 2.4 rpg* 1.7 apg

1 PG Cashmere Wright FR 6’0 175: 17.8 mpg* 4.8 ppg* 1.7 rpg* 2.2 apg

11 G Larry Davis JR 6’3 195: 15.7 mpg* 3.9 ppg* 1.7 rpg

32 F Ibrahima Thomas JR 6’11 230: 13.8 mpg* 3.8 rpg* .78 bpg

The Bearcats’ strength so far has been rebounding on both ends and interior defense. The size inside and on the wings – Yancy Gates and Ibrahima Thomas in particular, with assistance from Rashad Bishop, Dion Dixon, and Stephen Toyloy – help control things on the offensive glass. On the defensive side, Gates and Thomas are excellent, and Stephenson, Deonta Vaughn, and Bishop contribute rebounds and aggressive outlet passing.

Gates is also a very good shot blocker, strong in his defensive position in the post, and is shooting 55%. mostly in the paint. One would think such a strong post would get more foul shooting opportunities… but that’s a problem up and down the Bearcat roster. Thomas is less impressive on offense, but he does not turn the ball over at all, getting a lot of shots on putbacks. Toyloy serves as more of a post role-player, looking for rebounds and stick backs.

It’s a good thing Cincinnati’s interior defense has been excellent, because the team has allowed a lot of looks from beyond the three-point arc… where conference opponents have made 38% of their shots. The wings are opportunistic on offense, looking to aggressively drive to the basket in transition. They are all athletes, and they are dangerous. Bishop, besides being a solid defender with good shot blocking numbers, is also a dangerous finisher. His athleticism gives him the chance for highlight-reel dunks. Of course, Lance’s athleticism and versatility makes him the most dangerous on the break.

In the halfcourt, the team looks for Stephenson to create and find cutting players to the basket. Deonta Vaughn passes well and is the best shooter on the team outside of the deeper parts of the bench (specifically Darnell Wilks and Jaquon Parker). Dion Dixon is the sixth man, pumping himself up with chest bumping and aggressive defense. His outside shooting is suspect, but he can get hot. Cashmere Wright backs up at the point guard position. He’s shooting as well Malik Boothe, but takes more shots.

But for the shots they take, and the athletes on the team, one would expect to see a parade to the free throw line by the players, or more steals. It doesn’t happen. They consistently foul more than they are fouled, are near the bottom of the league in free throw attempts drawn (13th) as a percentage of shots taken, and their steal percentage is a pedestrian 4.2 steals per game – 15th in the Big East. The free throw percentage has improved team-wide since Big East play started, however, so they are learning to take advantage of the easy opportunities.

St. John’s (10-5, 0-3)

3 PG Malik Boothe JR 5’9 188: 4.9 ppg* 2.5 rpg* 2.3 apg* 1 spg

23 G Paris Horne JR 6’3 191: 9 ppg* 3.1 rpg* 1.4 apg* 39.7% 3PT

1 G-F DJ Kennedy JR 6’5 215: 16.3 ppg* 6.7 rpg* 3.6 apg* 37.3% 3PT

32 F Justin Brownlee JR 6′7 232: 8.2 ppg* 6.2 rpg* 1.1 spg* 1.1 bpg

5 F Sean Evans JR 6’8 255: 7.4 ppg* 6.7 rpg* 1.3 apg

Bench:

12 G Dwight Hardy JR 6′2 187: 23.5 mpg* 11.5 ppg* 40.8% 3PT

24 F Justin Burrell JR 6’8 235: 18.1 mpg* 4.8 ppg* 2.9 rpg* 53.8% FG

15 F-C Dele Coker JR 6’10 252: 10.7 mpg* 2.2 ppg* 2.4 rpg* 1.5 bpg* 66.7% FG

31 PG Malik Stith FR 5’11 185: 12.5 mpg* 2.6 ppg* 1.3 apg

2 G-F Anthony Mason Jr. SR 6’7 210: vs. Louisville – 14 mins, 5 pts, 1 ast, 1 reb,

Justin Brownlee has seemingly taken Justin Burrell’s spot in the starting lineup. Obviously the team was looking for a spark… and Brownlee certainly rebounded decently, but his shooting was off. And the change did not negate the Louisville Cardinals’ offensive rebounding, or help the team’s offensive flow when they struggled. St. John’s did handle the press solidly, though there were some rushed shots in the second half that should have been avoided. Perhaps they were looking for foul calls? But those whistles never came.

Also of note in the game was the return of Anthony Mason. He logged 14 minutes, took 3 shots (making 2 of them) and seemed willing to box out, though he only corralled one rebound. Good to see him on the floor, even as Dele Coker and Justin Burrell held down the visitors’ seats.

Keys to the Game

It’s Not A Parade. Don’t foul the Bearcats. If St. John’s plays good position defense and doesn’t allow Lance and crew to blow by them, the Bearcats will take jump shots. They don’t need cheap points; make them earn it. That said, I fully expect to see a different Lance out there, trying to aggressively drive and dunk in the Garden. He’s a smart, crafty player, and will be motivated to find his openings. But if St. John’s guards the basket well, I think he will find himself called for more than one offensive foul.

This Is Your Land. The atmosphere might be a little crazy among the few thousand fans who show up for St. John’s games. Lance’s fans will be screaming, St. John’s fans will be booing… it could be electric. But St. John’s has to remember to play their game, not listen for the fan reaction or try to play to the crowd, and remind Lance that this is St. John’s motherf***** house.

Slow It Down. St. John’s has to exert some control in the game by managing the rebounds on both ends and minimizing turnovers. Cincy will play a helter-skelter style, but often get bogged down in halfcourt sets. The Red Storm has to make them work for the points and hopefully, generate confusion and turnovers.

… Or You Got a Killer Jump Shot. Hit the shots. Hardy, Mase, and Paris have to square up and hit their jump shots. Cincinnati’s size underneath will make it hard to operate in the paint – and St. John’s doesn’t operate in the post for offense all that often.

Bang It Clean. The Red Storm needs to get offensive rebounds, loose balls, and generally out-tough one of the more physically aggressive teams in the country.

Prediction: A tough home game for the Storm. I’m going with the win against a team that despite their talent and athleticism, can be as inconsistent and sloppy as St. John’s. And the Red Storm are better than they have shown. Cincinnati loses, 67-64.

Transplanted New Yorker and now Midwesterner Peter a/k/a Pico writes for the East Coast Bias and the Church of Bracketology and for Johnny Jungle, doing the Calm Before the Storm posts. Pico is also on Twitter, @ECoastBias.