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The 6th Man of St. John's Basketball

For the die hard St. John's fan.
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A Juicy Rematch With The Orange

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Back on January 12th, Syracuse came into Madison Square Garden and handed a St. John’s team that had won three of its first four Big East games its first and only loss in the “World’s Most Famous Arena” this season by the final of 76-59.  Four Orange players scored in double figures that day, led by Kris Joseph (18 points) and Brandon Triche.  (15 points)  Two months later, it’s been a tale of two different teams as the ‘Cuse and the Johnnies collide at the Garden for round two in the Big East quarterfinals.  While Syracuse was undefeated following their victory over the Red Storm, they proceeded to drop six of their next nine before ending the regular season on a five-game winning streak.  As for the boys from Queens, they have won ten of their last twelve in a run that saw the Storm take down one Top 25 opponent after another.  On top of that, Syracuse remains the only Big East team that this year’s senior class has never beaten.  Can the Johnnies rewrite history one more time en route to what would be their seventh win against a ranked opponent?  Game time is less than four hours away.

Game Information

St. John’s University (5th seed, 21-10) vs. Syracuse Orange (4th seed, 25-6)

Date: Thursday, March 10th, 2011

Time: 2:30 pm

Venue: Madison Square Garden (Big East tournament quarterfinals)

TV: ESPN2 (Dave Pasch play-by-play, Doris Burke and Fran Fraschilla color, Beth Mowins sideline reporter)

Radio: WBBR 1130 AM (John Minko play-by-play, Tarik Turner color)

WSJUradio.org (Dan Martin play-by-play, Tim Dimas color)

Syracuse Orange (25-6, 12-6 in the Big East)

Very rarely has there been a team so dominant on a neutral court to the point where it could be considered a second home court, but the Orange are just that good at Madison Square Garden.  In addition, their rabid fan base travels well and can influence the game at any given time.  Look for the Syracuse faithful to be on their feet from the opening tip as they bring the Carrier Dome tradition of standing until the Orange scores a basket into midtown Manhattan.  Jim Boeheim’s team is also balanced and defensively gifted in the form of four double-figure scorers and Big East Defensive Player of the Year Rick Jackson, who has underwent a makeover of sorts to become one of the league’s most imposing inside presences.  The aforementioned Joseph and Triche are the long-range specialists on this team, and we would be remiss not to include Scoop Jardine as a game-changer at the point guard position.  Syracuse’s bench isn’t known for its productivity, but freshmen C.J. Fair and Dion Waiters anchor a group of reserves that brings a high-energy attitude and fundamental awareness to the game that belies their young age.  Finally, Syracuse just isn’t Syracuse without its world-famous 2-3 zone defense.

Keys to Victory

  • Break the zone. St. John’s coach Steve Lavin admitted his team hasn’t seen much zone defense recently, and the team has worked on it in practice.  Syracuse closes to the three-point line better than most teams in the country, which will force Dwight Hardy and Paris Horne to work their way inside to score against an Orange defense that yields only 63 points per game.
  • Draw fouls.  St. John’s hasn’t been the better free throw shooter in recent years, but they are today; as Syracuse comes in with a 66 percent clip at the charity stripe.  In particular, the Red Storm will look to foul high school teammates Jardine (66 percent) and Jackson.  (51 percent)
  • That was then, this is now.  St. John’s faces an uncertain reception when they take the court this afternoon after the closing seconds of yesterday’s win against Rutgers, where it appeared Justin Brownlee traveled and stepped out of bounds before time expired despite no call from the officials.  Throw in a Syracuse fan base hungry for another Garden win and you have a Red Storm team that will need to come out looking to prove that yesterday truly is in the past.
  • Our town, our house.  That was what St. John’s men’s basketball SID and senior associate athletic director of communications Mark Fratto tweeted prior to yesterday’s game against Rutgers, and it rings true again for the boys from Queens today.  St. John’s is 7-1 in Madison Square Garden this season; with their sole blemish coming at the hands of Syracuse, and the Red Storm will look to avenge a loss while taking down what would be their seventh Top 25 opponent, which would tie them with conference foe Notre Dame for most in the country.
  • The bucket list. Finally, as St. John’s has added new chapters to its illustrious history, their ten-player senior class has taken down one team after another for the first time.  One name still remains to be slain, and that is the Syracuse Orange squad that the Johnnies face today.  This element should provide the Storm with a fighting spirit throughout the afternoon as they look to exorcise their final demon.

So, Who Wins? This game will be just as much of a war as the Rutgers game was, and even the Rutgers-Seton Hall game on Tuesday was.  Syracuse doesn’t get intimidated or go away rather easily, so St. John’s will need to keep the pressure on while not letting the Orange swing the momentum as they did in January on a first-half three from Kris Joseph.

Your Final: The Johnnies take down the one they haven’t got yet in a squeaker.  St. John’s 72, Syracuse 71

Bullish on Senior Night

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They came to St. John’s hoping to be the crew that turned the program around; many of them from New York City, others from a short plane or bus ride away. They’ve seen friends leave the program, frustrated with losing or in hopes of getting more playing time, they’ve stressed about who was going to coach them from year to year, they’ve seen friends from AAU ball play on the sport’s biggest stages, while they practice and study in Queens.

It’s been a long 4 years for most of the seniors – 5 for Rob Thomas – and the seniors have seen their share of losses, blowouts, with few moments of glory. This year, aided by junior college transfers Dwight Hardy and Justin Brownlee, those seniors have gotten a taste of the big time.

They deserve a hearty round of applause.

Applause for D.J. Kennedy and Paris Horne, who worked hard to provide scoring and gritty defense for the Johnnies.

Cheers for Sean Evans and Justin Burrell, brought in to be part of an imposing and athletic front line.

Hosannas for Dwight Hardy and Justin Brownlee, who came from junior colleges to be a part of a Red Storm surge.

Props to Dele Coker and Rob Thomas, who may not have become the basketball stars they thought they might.

Hearty praise for Kevin Clark, the walk-on who worked hard to be part of basketball for four more years.

And an ovation for Malik Boothe, the undersized tough guy from southeast Queens, who truly represents the Red Storm seniors’ dogged determination.

It’s been 4 long years, and here’s something the team can hang their hat on – this year’s 19-10 record makes the seniors .500 in their career as a class.

The senior night game does have an opponent, South Florida. At first – and second – glance, the Bulls look like the perfect Senior Night patsy. They are far, far worse than the Seton Hall Pirates. They are one of the few teams St. John’s destroyed in a game last year -and on the road, to boot. At 9-2, South Florida feels the loss of star guard Dominique Jones, who went to the NBA.

This final game is a chance for the team to end its season on a high note and for the seniors to feel the love of an adoring crowd. Will St. John’s seniors win one last time in Carnesecca, or will they end their regular season on a sour note?

Let’s get it.

Click on photos below for bigger versions. All photos by Icon SMI, except Kevin Clark photo, courtesy of Red Storm Sports.

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South Florida (9-21, 3-14 Big East)

A list of luminaries South Florida has lost to: Florida Atlantic, with Sun Belt coach of the Year Mike Jarvis. Southern Mississippi. Central Florida, Kent State, James Madison, Cleveland State. But they beat DePaul twice, and Providence once, which tells you…

This is a bottom of the barrel Big East team. Stan Heath had been building to a year at full strength, but transfers out and in, Dominique Jones’ departure, and inconsistent play from his stars has hurt the Bulls.

The one good thing about South Florida is that they are big. They have four players with legit size along the frontline in Jarrid Famous, Gus Gilchrist, Ron Anderson, and Toarlyn Fitzpatrick. The shortest of the group runs 6’8″, the slimmest 230. That group brings the one strength of the Bulls to the table – offensive rebounding to get more shots and solid defensive rebounding.

Gus Gilchrist of South Florida.

Gilchrist is the most multi-faceted, but he takes a lot of long jumpers (and will shoot the three). He also left the team for a day earlier in the year. He takes a lot of shots, is mobile, but turnover-prone. When he’s on his game, he can be an all-league player, but Gus is often coasting or drifting.

Jarrid Famous is tall, reasonably athletic, but his agility is… well, he’s awkward at times. He is also the best at scoring inside the arc, sticking close to the basket on many plays, and is a danger to the team when he doesn’t; he’s not an adept post defender. Fitzpatrick has an outside game too, and can be a bit of a load to handle; he’ll play small forward for stretches. Ron Anderson transferred from Kansas State and provides a LOT of rebounding in his limited minutes on the floor. He can hit a jumper and is a consistent player; he could be dangerous.

The rest of the team is a hodgepodge of junior college newcomers, recruits who have not yet emerged as forces, and a transfer. At point guard, the Bulls are led by Anthony Crater, a former Ohio State transfer. He is fast and athletic and cannot seem to transfer his physical gifts into basketball plays. He plays 33-35 minutes and is a good passer, who is prone to a number of turnovers. He’s improved his three point shooting from 19.6% last year in Big East play to 30.8%, but he’s also not likely to take more than 4 shots in a game.

The guard and wing positions are manned by a combination of players, mostly tall guards. Hugh Robertson is a 6’6″ guard who can hit some jump shots but hardly gets to the line; he is the best perimeter defender. Shaun Noriega is the best shooter on the team, it seems, from the perimeter; he’s hit 42.4% of his shots from outside, and he needs to be defended. he doesn’t put the ball on the deck, so he’s less of a factor than he could be.

Jawanza Poland has taken a third of his shots from the perimeter, and hit just under 19% of those attempts. He has some passing ability. Sophomore Mike Burwell gets some time, and has a perimeter stroke.

Keys to the Game

Defend intelligently. Seton Hall had many attempts where the Red Storm defender was a good 3 steps away from the shooter when the shooter got the ball in his hands. The Red Storm defenders have to fight through screens and/ or find ways to cover opponents faster. Open treys can kill a good effort. So can fouls caused from being wildly out of position.

Force turnovers. The Bulls are poor ballhandlers, especially along the front line; St. John’s needs to force them to lose the ball.

Don’t cough the ball up. St. John’s hasn’t been great at handling the ball against pressure recently, and they need to improve – meet the ball, throw fewer wild passes, dribble better.

Keep the Bulls off the offensive glass. The Bulls are strong on the offensive glass, getting more shots with their big men. St. John’s has to neutralize the one thing they do well with their size.

Attack mode. Kennedy and Hardy and the big men must all look to attack, draw fouls, and get inside for points. The Red Storm are not a good jump shooting team; they need to get the ball inside.

Prediction: A senior night win, 70-58 St. John’s

Down the Hall

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The Red Storm are improving by leaps and bounds in the latter part of the season. Their swagger is up. There’s a little more attention on campus. And the surrounding city is crazy for the story of NCAA Tournament-bound #15 St. John’s and their resurgence under first-year coach Steve Lavin.

Nearby, two other schools also replaced their head coaches. Rutgers, with new coach Mike Rice, is angling for a .500 record and just maybe inclusion in the NIT or the other postseason tournaments. Meanwhile, the team that seemed most talented of the three area schools, Seton Hall, has struggled mightily with the transition. At 11-17, they have almost no chance for postseason play, unless one of the lesser tournaments decides to take them on.

And they’ve had turmoil – Keon Lawrence and Jamel Jackson crossed the line once too often for Kevin Willard and were booted from the team for violating curfew. Jeremy Hazell broke his hand and then got shot over Christmas in a botched robbery attempt. The Pirates have integrated some new players, but one wonders of the coaching staff is simply trying to get past this year – and these players – and building something new in South Orange.

But the Pirates are still a local rival, with other New York-area players on the roster. They and St. John’s have spent years battling for position in the Big East; this game is for bragging rights. St. John’s hasn’t won at Seton Hall in over 10 years (1998, to be exact). And the Pirates’ scorers are streaky, but can be deadly from outside.

Can St. John’s keep feeding the storm with another road win?

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Seton Hall (11-17, 5-11)

The Seton Hall team comes in with a nice win over the Syracuse Orange at the end of January, and a decent win over an Alabama team that might make the NCAA Tournament, back in November.

Besides that, the Pirates’ won-loss table is a list of opportunities not taken – losses at home to Dayton, Richmond, and Rutgers; neutral site losses to Clemson, Arkansas, and Xavier; and 5 Big East home losses.

The one sneaky constant in all of these games is generally tough defense. Somehow, a team that spent years being indifferent to a sustained defensive effort – especially an effort that didn’t involve a steal and going the other way for an easy score – has become one of the best defenses in the Big East, and by some metrics, maybe in the country. Seton Hall forces turnovers almost as well as St. John’s does. They play their positions fairly well (except when the players have breakdowns). They aren’t running up and down the court creating chaos for themselves while making chaos for others.

It’s hard to reconcile the good things the Pirates have done on defense and the talent they should have on offense with how unbelievably poor they have been on offense. It’s unbelievable. Personally, I’m a big fan of Kevin Willard’s – I would have wanted him for St. John’s – but his results with the Pirates have to give anyone pause.

Jeremy Hazell rises for a shot. Icon SMI

They’re a veteran team that wasn’t actually great at shooting, or shooting threes last year (volume shooters), and they’ve become utterly abysmal at hitting outside shots. And yet they still jack them up. Not at the rates that they used to, but if a team is shooting 24.7% on their three pointers, they should just STOP.

24.7%?

The Pirates don’t draw fouls (bottom of the league). They don’t crash the offensive glass for more opportunities. The slowed-down offense still comes with shots don’t seem like they would be in the flow of any offense. At least they don’t turn the ball over… but still, this is a fascinating study of how to NOT play offense. The Pirates don’t have scorers, they have culprits.

Jeremy Hazell is the team’s leading shooter. I guess you can call what he does “scoring,” but he takes so many shots to do it, he’s really just a guy chucking shots. He’s come back from his injury a lesser player; not sure if it’s injury or his chase of scoring and three-point records for the Pirates, but his shooting should be a benchable offense. He averages 35 minutes a game and he will not turn the ball over; once it touches his hands, he’s trying to do something with it. He’s hitting 23.8% of his outside shots in conference play, but is scoring better inside. Is he due for a hot streak?

Forward Jeff Robinson is another grip-it-and-rip-it player. The burly forward also takes a number of outside shots (hitting 32.8% of his three-point attempts) but can make plays inside. He’s a very good defensive rebounder and can surprise with his agility at times.

The other forward spot is mainly manned by Aliquippa native Herb Pope, who played AAU basketball with D.J.Kennedy and DeJuan Blair. Pope spent the summer in the hospital after collapsing because of a heart ailment, but he seems to be much the same player he was before. Having made 9 of 21 three-pointers last year has made Pope’s shot selection worse, though, and he is 6 of 28 from the outside (21%) and takes an inordinate number of deep jumpers. He’s still a very good defensive rebounder (and offensive glass man as well), but sometimes thinks a little too highly of his abilities. Pope has improved his free throw shooting percentage to 54.7%. And he blocks shots like a beast, hinting at his athleticism.

At the point guard position, former Gaucho Jordan Theodore thought he was ready for the lead role. His performance with the Pirates has been a mirror image of last year (check his conference-only shooting stats – they’re actually the same numbers, give or take a few attempts), but in a slower pace, with more minutes, and with more turnovers. Theodore is what he’s been – a poor outside shooter, a solidly quick handle, a non-rebounder, a decent but unspectacular assist man. Playing point at times is Mississippi transfer Eniel Polynice, who is also much of what he has always been – a tall passer in a forward’s body who can bring the ball up but is a poor shooter. He concentrates on passing with the Pirates.

The newcomers, though, are promising. Freshman swingman Fuquan Edwin starts for the Pirates. He, too, has Miss The Basket disease, but he plays hard, defends solidly, and won’t turn the ball over. Edwin has struggled to score recently. Czech freshman forward Patrik Auda brings some size to the table (6’9, 225) and a willingness to bang and play ugly. He’s a little earth-bound, but can rebound and even hit an outside jump shot. Englishman Aaron Geramipoor gets spot minutes in the post but looks to have solid hands for rebounding.

Keys to the Game

Play Red Storm defense. St. John’s needs to hassle to Pirate shooters early, because they will take head-scratcher shots under pressure… and those shots often don’t fall. St. John’s can’t let them get into a rhythm early.

Get rebounds. The game will be much uglier than the fans will think; the Hall does have some scrappy players who like to bang. St. John’s has to bring some muscle and collect the rebounds that come near them.

Patience. The Johnnies have to play within themselves and create opportunities as they have in recent games. No forcing the issue; concentration, smart shot selection, and good offensive principles should earn the win.

Watch for turnovers. The Pirates do a solid job of turning over the opponent. St. John’s has to protect the ball, make crisp passes, and attack.

Kennedy + Hardy attacking. The team needs to attack the Pirate players and make them work on defense, drawing fouls. That starts with Kennedy and Hardy’s ability.

BONUS KEY: Protect the family jewels. Herb Pope has been known to take his frustrations out on the most painful place to hit a man.

Prediction: Surprisingly close, but the Red Storm won’t backslide. St. John’s, 66-60.

Storming Philadelphia

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Winners of six straight, St. John’s is clicking at the right time. A number of players find ways to contribute; the team is beating those pillars of the Big East that have kicked sand in the Johnnies’ collective faces for years; and the buzz is building around the program.

Down the east coast, however, storm clouds seem to be forming over the Villanova Wildcats. Player injuries. A lack of depth. Worries that the team is “lacking IQ,” that something is wrong, that the sky is falling.

Meanwhile, those Wildcats are ranked #15 in the country by the AP and #14 by the Coaches’ poll, and are battling teams like St. John’s for the top-4 slot in the Big East – also known as the coveted double-bye, two games off of Big East Tournament competition. There is often some argument that the double-bye hurts teams’ rhythm, but an extra game off? That might be nice for the players, and means the Red Storm ended the season in the top 4.

Saturday’s game against Villanova gives the Red Storm a chance to break a losing streak – 6 games to Villanova – in this retribution season. And there is seeding at stake – in the Big East Tournament and in the NCAA Tournament as well. And Sean Evans gets to play in front of friends and family for the last time. And a great game by Dwight Hardy could cement him as Big East Player of the Year.

This will be a tough road contest against one of the league’s best teams. let’s find out more about the Wildcats.

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Villanova Wildcats (21-7, 9-6 Big East)

The Wildcats are a curious team, mized with veteran leaderships and what should be hot up-and-coming sophomores.  They should have depth, size, and should have contended for the top spot in the Big East.

That’s why they play the games, I suppose. McDonald’s All-American JayVaughn Pinkston is sitting out the year as punishment for a fight he got into with fellow Villanova students. Corey Stokes has missed some game to injury. Skinny post player Maurice Sutton seems to have violated team rules (curfew) enough that he’s in the doghouse.

What looked like depth has become a 7 man rotation with 5-7 minutes for an eighth. And that rotation has been inconsistent at scoring the basketball in conference play, along with a little turnover-prone. The emergence of Mouphtaou Yarou’s rebounding, very good free throw shooting, and outside shot-making has helped carry a Wildcat team filled with flaws through the season. They will press a little, but generally don’t hunt turnovers, preferring to force misses in the halfcourt.

Corey Fisher. By Icon SMI

The Wildcats are led by a two-headed point guard system run by Corey Fisher and Maalik Wayns. They are an interesting tandem; at times, neither looks like the kind of player that will lead a team efficiently. Both can be caught looking for their shot, but both also sports healthy assist numbers- 5 per game for Fisher, and 4.6 per game for Wayns. Wayns is fast and needs to be kept out of the lane; he’s much less dangerous with contested jump shots. He shoots 24% from three-point range (22-91). Fisher is fast but also crafty, known for scoring 105 points in a summer league game in New York City.  He’s the team’s second-best outside shooter.

The 6’5″ Corey Stokes on the wing is the team’s most efficient player. He is the Wildcats’ best outside shooter, and they struggled when he missed a few games with turf toe.  Most of his shot attempts are from the perimeter, and the defense will need to shade his way to prevent him from getting clean catches and easy looks.  He’s also Villanova’s best perimeter defender, and may spend a lot of time watching Dwight Hardy’s numbers.

Emerging post play from Mouphtaou Yarou has been a boon to Villanova; his ability allows former Lincoln High star Antonio Pena to open up his game. Yarou is a strong man in the post and knows how to take up space. Despite being a little turnover-prone, the sophomore can go up strong with the ball and gets ample opportunities to score; the Wildcats look for their big men.

Antonio Pena has a little range, maybe out to 15-17 feet; he’s even hit a pair of three-pointers (2 of 6).  he does solid board work on the defensive glass but opens up on offense, where he can score inside and off of jump shots, especially in the pick-and-roll.  The size and agility of the front court could pose problems for the Red Storm.

Off the bench, New Jersey star Dominic Cheek can get some shots up, but he’s struggling to get them into the orange cylinder. he shoots readily enough that he’s not a threat to turn over the ball, but the team would like 2 of 9 evenings. Freshman James Bell gets some time; he has hops but hasn’t been a huge part of the offense. Time for forward Isaiah Armwood comes and goes; he is long and athletic, can rebound and draw some fouls. Armwood may play a bit to counteract the Red Storm’s transition looks.

Keys to the Game

Force turnovers. The Wildcats are a bit turnover-prone, with guards flying into the paint without a plan and forwards who bring the ball low after rebounds. Those balls need to end up in red and white hands, starting transition opportunities.

Keep Yarou off the offensive glass. His teammates as well; but Yarou is taller than St. John’s front line, athletic, and could be a real problem for the Johnnies. If Yarou, Armwood, and Pena can be forces inside, it doesn’t bode well for the Red Storm’s chances.

Defend + harass. Much like with Kemba Walker, Wayns needs to be kept from getting a lane to the basket and made to take mid-range contested jump shots. And the same goes for the rest of the Wildcats’ perimeter players – they cannot have multiple clean looks or catch the ball in shooting rhythm. If the Wildcats aren’t shooting well, they don’t generate points in other ways well enough to compensate.

Get Hardy free. Dwight Hardy might find some tough sledding against the height of the Wildcats, and the staff has to continue to find ways of freeing up the Johnnies’ most dynamic offensive weapon.

Hit the open shots. This, too, is a big game, and the Red Storm have to wear their big game pants once more. The team has to take open shots and nail them, because those opportunities will not always be there.

Prediction: Villanova takes it at home, 72-68.

No Letting Up!

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Before February, a few things seemed certain. There was a lot of snow blanketing the country. St. John’s would struggle to get into the NCAA Tournament. And the DePaul game would be a cakewalk win.

Funny how things have changed in just 3 weeks. The snow’s still out there. But St. John’s has nestled into a foreign land of “playing for NCAA seeding”, with a number of marquee wins and a whole arena-full of confidence.

Cleveland Melvin and Jeremiah Kelly almost upset Villanova last weekend. Photo by Blue Demon Athletics

But while Dwight Hardy‘s been making his case for Big East Player of the Year, and while the team around him has been forcing turnovers, defending, and making a name for themselves on a national level, there’s been a quiet resurgence in the Chicago-based outpost of the Big East. DePaul is back! To not being the Big East’s skidmark. DePaul beat Providence, lost in overtime to Villanova (in a game they really could have won), and played West Virginia, Cincinnati, and Louisville competitively.

It’s not much, but a slight resurgence in the Blue Demons – involving their shooting prowess and their ballhawking style – is the stuff that upsets are made of. The Blue Demons have a pair of the Big East’s best freshmen. The veterans are stepping up.

Smell that? Smells like a trap game. DePaul appears to be the weak opponent after another season-defining win, and before a game against the talented-yet-foundering Villanova Wildcats. St. John’s could really be tested tomorrow at Carnesecca.

A loss to the Blue Demons would give rise to questions about the Johnnies’ record and those bad losses so distant in the rearview mirror. The Red Storm need to apply the same level of concentration and tenacity to the Blue Demons as they did to Pitt and the other MSG victims. The Red Storm needs to give the home fans a dominating show against DePaul.

A ranked team should do no less.

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DePaul (7-19, 1-13 Big East)

Make no mistake about it – the Blue Demons have really struggled. Part of the problem is the adjustment to Oliver Purnell‘s trapping system. And part of it is an exodus of talent over the last few years. Thankfully, some of Jerry Wainwright’s newest guys can play – who knows why they decided to come to DePaul, but Brandon Young and Moses Morgan are keepers.

Purnell’s reputation is for fast, up-and-down play. But this year’s DePaul team is much more likely to slow the ball down and run when they can to help cover up the talent disparity – as Norm Roberts’ early teams often did. The slowdown has helped keep the scoring and transition points for the opposition down. A recent tightening of the rotation has helped the offense field a rotation of players who can do what Purnell wants. Despite the slow pace, the team will still run out on opponents, will still press and trap… and will still give up points.

The lack of Big East talent is evident on the Blue Demons, but they are playing hard. The team is led by a pair of scoring point guards, Brandon Young and Jeremiah Kelly. At first, Young seemed to be the undisputed leader of the Blue Demons’ attack, despite being a first-year player. But the guard from Baltimore has received help from Kelly, who has found a nice shooting stroke, hitting almost 42% of his shots in conference. In the past 2 games, he’s taken 20 of his 31 shots from outside the arc, hitting 11 (55%). The kid is hot.

Brandon Young. Photo by Blue Demon Athletics

Brandon Young is a smooth baller who is learning how not to dribble himself into trouble. He can dish and is a solid Big East-level athlete, and has a bit of a turnover problem that he’ll improve in the coming years. Young can convert well at the rim as well. The pair log a lot of minutes, and are backed up by Michael Bizoukas, who works really really hard. His high scoring total is 4 points. But he works really, really hard.

Former walk-on (and transfer from Southeast Missouri State) Jimmy Drew is also a very hard worker. But he has an actual basketball skill – he can hit open shots. While not the most athletic, Drew is a solid 6’5″ and 220 pounds, and can compete on defense, make some passes, and grab some rebounds.

Also getting time is freshman Moses Morgan. Morgan had a real issue early in the year – he couldn’t hit jump shots, he couldn’t hit free throws, and his defense was terrible. But what looked like an early bust was a precursor to a player who has really turned a corner in conference play, nailing over 42% of his shots against Big East opponents and gaining confidence. If Mario Stula touches the court, something has gone horribly wrong for the Blue Demons. He supposedly can shoot, but seems to miss when he plays.

Up front, the Blue Demons are led by Cleveland Melvin – the favorite for Big East freshman of the year, I would say – and burly Krys Faber. A one-time recruiting target for the Red Storm, Faber is large, turnover-prone, and seems to attract fouls. But he is the team’s best rebounder, and is willing to use his body.

Melvin is a lithe forward who originally committed to Connecticut. He can run like a deer and is very athletic. He loves to crash the offensive boards. More importantly, he doesn’t turn the ball over much, because once it gets into his hands, he is trying to put up that shot. He has about 10-12 foot range and is quick.

Joining Melvin and Faber is 6’6 sophomore forward Tony Freeland. He’s short, but can battle in the post. His shooting from the field is inconsistent at best, and his free throw line shooting is sub-50%. Senior forward Mike Stovall has disappeared into the bench.

Keys to the Game

Get running. The Blue Demons are not the best ballhandlers. St. John’s has to force turnovers and get transition opportunities… and convert them. Against an opponent like the Blue Demons, the Red Storm have a chance to use all of their offensive weapons.

Play crisply. The Red Storm cannot play another lackluster game at Carnesecca. It’s a bad habit, and the Blue Demons have been plucky of late, forcing turnovers and scoring off of mistakes. St. John’s has to protect the ball, play hard, and make plays happen. No loose, “having fun” showboating.

Hit the free throws. The Red Storm’s free throw shooting has been woeful at Carnesecca. Perhaps it’s the players who have been getting to the line, but still, shooting under 60% from the free throw line anywhere is a cause for concern. The Blue Demons tend to foul a lot, as well.

Rebound. There is no reason that St. John’s shouldn’t punish the smaller, weaker, less athletic Blue Demons on the glass.

Defend the outside. The Blue Demons will stroke it from outside. St. John’s has to mark Jeremiah Kelly and Jimmy Drew; as the outside threats, making Melvin try to beat the Red Storm on his own.

Prediction: Pain for the Chicago team. St. John’s runs with it, 81-69