Shortly after St. John’s fell victim to top-ranked Kentucky in their road opener, those close to the program insisted that the Red Storm’s defeats against the Wildcats and Northeastern the week before could be compared to last season’s losses to St. Bonaventure and Fordham, as games that the team could use as a turning point for their campaign.

Just four days after their humbling experience in Lexington, the Red Storm head into the Motor City to face Horizon League contender Detroit on a night where the Titans’ home court will be dedicated in honor of former head coach and ESPN analyst Dick Vitale. JohnnyJungle.com gets you caught up on both teams below in preparation for tonight’s clash in Motown.

Date: Monday, December 5, 2011
Location: Dick Vitale Court at Calihan Hall; Detroit, Michigan
Time: 7:00 PM EST
TV: ESPN2 (John Saunders, Fran Fraschilla)
Radio: WBBR 1130 AM (John Minko, Tim O’Toole)

St. John’s Red Storm (4-4)
Head Coach: Steve Lavin (2nd season, 25-16; 170-94 overall)

Projected Starting Lineup:
G Nurideen Lindsey (6-3 So., 12.8 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 47% FG, 57% FT, 3.3 APG, 1.8 SPG)
G Phil Greene (6-2 Fr., 5.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 40% FG, 67% FT, 1.5 APG)
G D’Angelo Harrison (6-3 Fr., 13.1 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 37% FG, 32% 3pt, 80% FT, 1.3 APG, 1.5 SPG)
F God’sgift Achiuwa (6-8 Jr., 12.1 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 53% FG, 73% FT, 1.3 BPG)
F Moe Harkless (6-8 Fr., 14.4 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 43% FG, 63% FT, 1.4 APG, 2.0 BPG, 2.0 SPG)

Key Reserves:
F Sir’Dominic Pointer (6-5 Fr., 6.1 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 55% FG, 57% 3pt, 45% FT, 1.1 SPG)
G Malik Stith (5-11 Jr., 4.1 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 48% FG, 40% 3pt, 71% FT, 1.6 APG)

Keys To Victory:
– That was then, this is now. Losing their two previous games by a combined 36 points could cause a lapse in concentration, but the St. John’s coaching staff will make sure their players focus on the task at hand against a Detroit team that is regarded as the class of its conference by a number of analysts. After all, as head coach Steve Lavin has made clear several times, the season is a marathon.

– Get the leader involved. In each of the two games where St. John’s has lost Nurideen Lindsey to either foul trouble or inefficiency, the results have been forgettable at best for the Red Storm. Lindsey needs to establish himself early and often to give the Johnnies their best chance for a road victory, as he has clearly become the man who makes the motor run offensively for the boys from Queens.

– Cancel the one-man show. St. John’s was burned by Joel Smith in the Northeastern game last week, and they will face a similar talent in Detroit guard Ray McCallum Jr. (more on him later) If St. John’s can force the supporting cast to step up, the game plays into their favor.

Now it’s time to meet the opponents tonight, representing the Horizon League.

Detroit Titans (3-6)
Head Coach: Ray McCallum (4th season at UD, 47-59; 217-208 overall)

Projected Starting Lineup:
G Ray McCallum (6-2 So., 14.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 44% FG, 84% FT, 3.2 APG, 1.6 SPG)
G Jason Calliste (6-2 Jr., 9.9 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 40% FG, 33% 3pt, 83% FT, 2.3 APG, 1.2 SPG)
G Chase Simon (6-7 Sr., 16.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 41% FG, 30% 3pt, 70% FT, 2.7 APG, 1.1 SPG)
F Doug Anderson (6-6 Jr., 10.2 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 57% FG, 43% 3pt, 89% FT)
F LaMarcus Lowe (6-10 Sr., 7.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 52% FG, 73% FT, 3.1 BPG)

Key Reserves:
F Evan Bruinsma (6-8 So., 6.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 56% FG, 50% FT, 1.1 BPG)

Keys To Victory:
– McCallAttack. Ray McCallum doesn’t get the bulk of the minutes in the Detroit lineup just because he’s the coach’s son. He gets them because he’s the best player on the team. McCallum has already shown a national audience just how much of an impact he can make when he hit three early three-pointers against Notre Dame in a game the Titans nearly stole on the road at the Joyce Center. He doesn’t do it alone either, as swingman Chase Simon and sharpshooter Jason Calliste are there to back him up if need be. However, the sophomore point man will be the man to watch tonight, and he will look to put his own stamp on the outcome.

– Big East experience. Detroit’s game against Notre Dame should do a great job of preparing the Titans for what they stand up against when they face St. John’s. Aside from the experience advantage the Fighting Irish have, Notre Dame’s pieces are comparable to those of the Red Storm. Detroit only lost by six points in South Bend, so if the team can transfer the positives from that night onto their home court against the Red Storm, they will be in the hunt from start to finish.

– Bubble boys. It’s never too early to be thinking about the NCAA Tournament, especially in a Horizon League where Butler gets almost all of the attention. Detroit lost both of their first two conference games, but a quality nonconference win against a high-major opponent will give the Titans the swagger they need to go up against their league adversaries and potentially secure an invite to the “Big Dance.”

So, Who Wins?

Here is a matchup in which Detroit has everything to gain and nothing to lose on the night in which they pay homage to Dick Vitale. The Titans can pick up a victory that will help their resume immensely no matter how St. John’s finishes down the stretch. On the other side of the court, however, the Red Storm need this game. With a break coming up for final exams, St. John’s can ill afford to enter the hiatus on a three-game losing streak with intra-city rival Fordham up next at Madison Square Garden. As evidenced by the Notre Dame game, Detroit will give St. John’s all they can handle, but the Red Storm rights the ship in the end and comes home one game over .500.

Final Score: St. John’s 70, Detroit 63