Rutgers – Page 2

Red Storm Meets Rutgers In Regular Season Finale

March 3, 2012 by Jaden Daly Leave a Comment

The last time St. John’s played Rutgers; almost a year ago today, this happened. This also happened.

Most of the personnel has changed in the last twelve months, and this time the two programs meet with just as much at stake as there was in last year’s Big East tournament matchup. Both teams can clinch the No. 11 seed in the Big East tournament with a win, while a Rutgers win could create a four-way tie for the eleventh spot if Pittsburgh and Villanova win as well. Madison Square Garden was the place to be a year ago; but Rutgers plays host this year for what is the biggest game of the season for either side, and one in which you can get your background information here before the opening tip tomorrow night.

Date: Saturday, March 3, 2012
Location: Louis Brown Athletic Center; Piscataway, New Jersey
Time: 8:00 PM EST
TV: MSG (Jim Barbar, John Celestand)
Radio: WBBR 1130 AM, (John Minko, Tim O’Toole) WOR 710 AM (Chris Carlin, Dick Lloyd)
Online: WSJURadio.org (Mike Rossillo, Kieran Lynch)

St. John’s Red Storm (13-17, 6-11)
Head Coach: Steve Lavin* (2nd season at STJ; 34-29, 179-107 overall)
*- Assistant coach Mike Dunlap will serve as interim coach while Lavin recovers from offseason prostate cancer surgery

Projected Starting Lineup:
G Phil Greene (6-2 Fr., 8.0 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 37% FG, 77% FT, 3.1 APG, 1.3 SPG)
G D’Angelo Harrison (6-3 Fr., 17.2 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 38% FG, 38% 3pt, 81% FT, 2.1 APG, 1.6 SPG)
F Amir Garrett (6-6 Fr., 7.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 43% FG, 58% FT, 1.1 APG, 1.3 SPG)
F Sir’Dominic Pointer (6-5 Fr., 6.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 40% FG, 57% FT, 1.6 APG, 1.6 BPG)
F Moe Harkless (6-8 Fr., 15.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 45% FG, 67% FT, 1.4 APG, 1.4 BPG, 1.7 SPG)

Key Reserves:
F God’sgift Achiuwa (6-8 Jr., 9.4 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 55% FG, 68% FT)

Keys To Victory:
– Sense of urgency. St. John’s can do no better than the No. 11 seed in the Big East tournament, but a loss can drop them as far as the No. 14 hole. Three spots can mean the difference between winning and losing on Tuesday at the Big East tournament, and the Red Storm are definitely talented enough to stand up to any team in the conference. The key will be taking advantage of the opportunity and defining the moment against a Rutgers team just as young as they are.

– Phil The Thrill. Phil Greene has really come into his own over the last several weeks, displaying that his transition from a pure shooter to combo guard to point guard is complete. Greene may very well move back off the ball next December once Texas A&M transfer Jamal Branch is eligible, but the Chicago native has done a great job as the main facilitator in the Red Storm offense to date. Along with D’Angelo Harrison, St. John’s has the decided edge in the backcourt against a Rutgers freshman unit still looking for some consistency.

– In the swing of things. Amir Garrett has also blossomed as the swingman in the Red Storm’s all-freshman lineup. His running layup provided the insurance needed to defeat Notre Dame last week, and his statistics continue to improve as he sees more minutes. If Garrett can hit mid-range shots and free throws, he will be near impossible to contain.

Welcoming the Red Storm on the banks of the Old Raritan is a team that will run through a flaming brick wall for its coach, who continues to get a lot out of a little.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights (13-17, 5-12)
Head Coach: Mike Rice (2nd season at RU; 28-34, 101-65 overall)

Projected Starting Lineup:
G Jerome Seagears (6-1 Fr., 7.8 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 41% FG, 34% 3pt, 77% FT, 2.5 APG)
G Eli Carter (6-2 Fr., 13.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 41% FG, 34% 3pt, 71% FT, 2.2 APG, 1.2 SPG)
F Dane Miller (6-6 Jr., 7.9 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 50% FG, 73% FT, 2.2 APG, 1.7 BPG, 1.2 SPG)
F Austin Johnson (6-8 Jr., 4.4 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 50% FG, 68% FT)
F Gilvydas Biruta (6-8 So., 10.0 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 46% FG, 35% [7/20] 3pt, 64% FT, 1.5 APG)

Key Reserves:
G Myles Mack (5-9 Fr., 9.9 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 39% FG, 34% 3pt, 78% FT, 2.0 APG, 1.5 SPG)
G Mike Poole (6-5 So., 6.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 41% FG, 36% 3pt, 80% FT, 1.3 APG, 1.3 SPG)
F Derrick Randall (6-8 Fr., 2.6 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 56% FG, 61% [14/23] FT)

Keys To Victory:
– Jekyll and Hyde. That’s the season in a nutshell for the Scarlet Knights. As impressive as their wins over Florida, Connecticut and Notre Dame were, their losses to Illinois State, LSU and DePaul were among the most demoralizing defeats Rutgers has endured this season. With the final seconds of their last game against the Red Storm still fresh in Mike Rice’s mind, expect Rutgers to come out a little more determined with the No. 11 seed still at stake in Tuesday’s opening round of the Big East tournament.

– Protect this house. The last time St. John’s came to the RAC, (two years and one month ago tonight) it was a day the Red Storm would like to forget. On that night, former Rutgers star and current Florida reserve Mike Rosario lit up the Johnnies for 31 points in a loss that proved to be the beginning of the end for former coach Norm Roberts, who is ironically now an assistant on the Florida team Rosario plays for.

– Big three. St. John’s may have a dynamic duo in the backcourt with Phil Greene and D’Angelo Harrison, but Rutgers has three guards who can score just as well as the visitors. The trio of Eli Carter, Jerome Seagears and Myles Mack have combined for 31 points, eight rebounds and seven assists per night; and if left open, each one will burn St. John’s and their matchup zone. Look for the Scarlet Knights to create separation inside that will force St. John’s to retreat back behind the line in attempts to give the Rutgers guards open looks.

So, Who Wins?
Each team has seemingly everything to gain and just as much to lose. In addition; while St. John’s is characteristic of every other Steve Lavin-coached team that gets better as the season progresses, Rutgers is a typical Mike Rice unit that is scrappy enough to the point where they just will not die at any point on the court. The Scarlet Knights’ last game against Villanova; one where they were down sixteen points at halftime only to lose by just six, is living proof. In what will be yet another defensive stalemate between the two squads; the Rocky Balboa of the Big East that is Rutgers will stand up to St. John’s, and will also punch back enough after taking a few shots to send themselves into the Big East tournament on a winning note.

Final Score: Rutgers 67, St. John’s 61

St. John’s Headlines New-Look Holiday Festival

June 13, 2011 by Jaden Daly Leave a Comment

It’s just not a college basketball season unless the Holiday Festival is headlined by the St. John’s Red Storm inside the venerable confines of Madison Square Garden.

Fortunately for college basketball purists and old-school fans, history will once again be repeating itself, as the boys from Queens will take their talents to midtown Manhattan in what will be the second trip to the Garden for the youngest squad in program history. Most of these players will be making their debuts inside the home of the New York Knicks one month prior as part of the culmination of the 2K Sports Classic, an event that will also include Arizona, Mississippi State and Texas A&M.

Following a two-day confluence in which Steve Lavin’s NCAA Tournament participants first disposed of Davidson in a hard-fought nonconference matchup, the reigning Holiday Festival champion Red Storm will take the court at “The World’s Most Famous Arena” against Fordham University on December 17th.

Though the roster will feature just one player from 2010-2011, the Red Storm will be looking to erase the memory of a shocking upset loss to the Rams that, ironically, ended up being the turning point of last season’s miraculous run.

Rutgers will face Stony Brook in the second half of the Garden doubleheader on the 17th, but there will be no consolation or championship game the following day. As reported via Twitter yesterday by college basketball insider Jon Rothstein, the Holiday Festival will now be a one-day event, as opposed to the tournament-style affair it had earned its name and reputation as, in the past.

One benefit of this one-day format is that it will give all four schools the opportunity to play a game at Madison Square Garden and avoid the letdown of losing both contests that has been felt by some teams in past Holiday Festival. However, the opportunity for teams to say they played two games inside one of the most recognizable venues in the world has been taken away.

In addition, a traditional Holiday Festival setup could have potentially provided an intriguing matchup between St. John’s and Rutgers before the two teams collided in a Big East matchup in Piscataway. Adding to the fire would be the fact that the Red Storm and Scarlet Knights would be facing each other for the first time since the controversial ending to their Big East tournament meeting last March. As if anyone needed a reminder, in last year’s game, Justin Brownlee appeared to step out of bounds and travel while throwing the ball into the crowd in a sequence that was ignored by the officials and subsequently criticized as a result.

Though the Holiday Festival is no longer a conventional tournament, one thing remains the same: All four programs will still get the opportunity to show their stuff to the Madison Square Garden crowd. Four local schools inside the Mecca of basketball eight days before Christmas; it simply doesn’t get much better than this for big-time college basketball fans.

Weathering The Storm

March 10, 2011 by Jaden Daly Leave a Comment

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.

Sean Evans Big East Tournament — Sean Evans may have had the most clutch performance of his career nailing two consecutive free throws late to put St. John's up three. (RedStormSports.com)

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.

The Big Apple’s Big Three

March 9, 2011 by Jaden Daly Leave a Comment

Pierce, Allen and Garnett. Wade, James and Bosh. Even Jordan, Pippen and Rodman if you want to go back further in history. One thing remains the same, each trio has either won or contended for a championship. This past spring, New York-area college basketball took on a troika of its own within the Big East coaching fraternity; and although each head coach is at a different program, all have made a positive impact in their first season on the bench. As the Big East tournament draws closer, two of these three coaches will lead their teams into battle later today against one another, with the third awaiting today’s winner. Before the opening tip, let’s take a moment to evaluate each coach and their rookie campaigns, starting with the man in charge of initiating a renaissance that has captured nationwide attention.

St. John’s

Almost anyone who even remotely paid attention to Red Storm basketball expected Steve Lavin to return the boys from Queens into a contender after predecessor Norm Roberts spent the prior six seasons restoring a damaged image after the program’s infamous low point in Pittsburgh. However, what hardly anyone expected from Lavin was the ability to turn the Johnnies around so soon. After surprising nonconference losses to St. Bonaventure and Fordham, the Storm went on a tear with wins in the Holiday Festival and each of their first three Big East games; but the success didn’t stop there. St. John’s ended a run where they had lost five of their last six with a resounding upset of reigning national champion Duke at a sold-out Madison Square Garden; and took down fellow Top 25 opponents Connecticut, Pittsburgh and Villanova on the way to the school’s first ranking since 2000, when every current Johnny was still in elementary school. Lavin has credited the success to “putting hammer to rock” and going about methodically taking care of business, while getting players he will only have this year to buy into a new system and unite for a common goal. Lavin’s philosophy has produced breakout seasons from first team all-Big East guard Dwight Hardy, who was named the conference’s most improved player after switching to the point from shooting guard; as well as Justin Brownlee, a role player under Roberts that has blossomed into a starter and the Red Storm’s second-leading scorer. Justin Burrell also continued to show his versatility on his way to being named the Big East’s Sixth Man of the Year for a Red Storm squad that will make its long-awaited return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2002.

Rutgers

Just as most envisioned better results from St. John’s after Steve Lavin rode a tidal wave of popularity and support to the corner of Union and Utopia, the general feeling around Piscataway was that Mike Rice would do the same after Fred Hill was suddenly dismissed this past April after four years at the helm of the Scarlet Knights. What Rice has done on the banks of the old Raritan after winning back-to-back Northeast Conference championships at Robert Morris has been nothing short of Herculean and unbelievable. Following the transfer of star guard Mike Rosario, Rice was left with just nine scholarship players this season, and was not expected to contend over the Big East portion of the schedule; but Rice, a great coach and even better person, has demonstrated an uncanny ability to continuously get so much out of so little from a team that has become the Rocky Balboa of the Big East. Rutgers only won five conference games, but one of them was an absolute stunner at home against Villanova, as senior forward Jonathan Mitchell won the game on a dramatic four-point play in the final seconds. As far as the games Rutgers didn’t win, a majority of them were close throughout; and the Scarlet Knights took Top 25 teams the likes of Pittsburgh, Syracuse and eventual ranked foe St. John’s to the limit. The future is only looking brighter in New Jersey, where Rice brings in a recruiting class just as stellar as the one Steve Lavin will welcome into Queens next season.

Seton Hall

Following the unceremonious end to the Bobby Gonzalez era, the general consensus was that Seton Hall was the most likely of the three local Big East schools to make the NCAA Tournament, despite hiring a young and relatively unknown Kevin Willard as coach after three years at Iona. With stars Jeremy Hazell, Herb Pope and Jeff Robinson all passing on the NBA Draft to return to South Orange, all the pieces were in place for the Pirates to return to the Big Dance for the first time since 2006. Unfortunately, fate intervened more frequently than Brett Favre retirements. Hazell broke his wrist early in the season and was shot on Christmas night in an attempted robbery while recovering, guards Keon Lawrence and Jamel Jackson were thrown off the team; and reserve Ferrakohn Hall transferred to Memphis, forcing freshman Fuquan Edwin into the starting lineup in his rookie campaign. Nonetheless, the Pirates soldiered on despite a thin bench to finish 7-11 in the Big East, with two dominating victories over St. John’s and Marquette to close out the season. If Pope and Robinson return for their senior seasons, Willard still has everyone except Hazell coming back next year for another shot at redemption in the Garden State.

In Conclusion

It appears that St. John’s is clearly the short-term winner when you compare what all three local Big East schools have done on paper this season, and the Johnnies are just as dominating a victor in the media as well, getting far more coverage and headlines than both of the New Jersey programs combined. However, Rutgers has shown they have done more than just turn the corner, and a matchup between the Scarlet Knights and red Storm will definitely be a desired ticket in the year to come at any arena the two face off in. Not to be left out, Seton Hall has shown that they are in the mix as well; and in the world of New York-area college basketball, any and all fights are settled on the court. This year, to the relief of the fans, it all plays out on the hardwood at the “World’s Most Famous Arena” as one school faces its bitter intrastate rival with the hometown heroes waiting in the wings the following day. Three schools, two teams, one winner. It doesn’t get much better than this.

A Knight To Remember

February 3, 2011 by Jaden Daly Leave a Comment

Call it a trap game, a rock fight, or any other hyperbole you’d like; but at the end of the night, just remember to call it a win.

In a game that mirrored the last matchup that took place at Carnesecca Arena, St. John’s (13-8, 5-5 in the Big East) wasn’t flashy or pretty on the court tonight; but they emerged the victor, unlike their meeting with Cincinnati almost two weeks ago, as Justin Brownlee’s driving layup with 3.2 seconds left in regulation was enough to outlast Rutgers (12-10, 3-7) by the final of 58-56. The Scarlet Knights had a chance to win the game with a half-court shot, but were unable to beat the buzzer in the latest chapter of a rivalry that has come to define the nature of Big East basketball.

Paris Horne vs Rutgers — Paris Horne slams it home for 2 of his 12 points aiding St. John's to their 2nd straight win. (redstormsports.com)

“We were very fortunate to win,” said Red Storm head coach Steve Lavin after the game. “I thought Rutgers outplayed us in many facets of the game.” Although the Johnnies were the better team for most of the first half, cold spells from the field proved to be the biggest ally for Rutgers, who managed to tie the game at 31 heading into the locker room at halftime. St. John’s shot 37 percent from the field, (18-for-49) but casual fans will look past that statistic given the end result on a basic play executed with great precision by the breakout star of the season for the boys from Queens.

“Coach drew up a real good play with me flashing back to the basketball,” said Brownlee, who only scored nine points; but none bigger than the two that turned out to be the difference tonight. “I didn’t feel any pressure,” said the senior of the shot, which involved him going to his left with a fractured left thumb suffered in the Storm’s 93-78 win over Duke this past Sunday when Brownlee made contact with Blue Devils guard Nolan Smith late in the second half. Said Lavin of the play: “It’s a play that makes sense concept wise because you know teams are going to switch.” Dwight Hardy led the Johnnies with 15 while Paris Horne continued to come up big against the Scarlet Knights, going for 12. Jonathan Mitchell led all scorers with 21 for Rutgers, and the former Florida transfer was praised by his coach after the game.

“He’s trying to carry us and trying to become a leader,” said Rutgers coach Mike Rice. However, the coach was brutally honest and critical of his own players following the final buzzer. “St. John’s was really good at forcing us to play at their tempo. They made us play basketball.” The first-year coach also held nothing back regarding his team’s offensive struggles, saying that “eventually, they’re going to have to stop getting in their own way. This team seems to take on a personality of its own sometimes. We’ve been at a juncture every game.” Rutgers continues its road trip on Sunday when they travel to the Joyce Center for a matchup with eighth-ranked Notre Dame, who split both of their meetings with St. John’s last month.

The Red Storm, now winners of their last two after dropping five out of six, hit the road as well for what will be their third West Coast trip of the season. In what has been among the most anticipated games all season, St. John’s will invade Pauley Pavilion Saturday for a matchup with UCLA in what will be Steve Lavin’s long-awaited return to Westwood, where he was an assistant and head coach for twelve years, including the Bruins’ national championship season of 1995. Tipoff is slated for 1pm Eastern time, 10am Pacific.

Now that the smoke has cleared on Union and Utopia, the following lasting impressions will shed some light on what can be taken from these two teams as they prepare to take the next step down the stretch.

Lasting Impressions

St. John’s was versatile in transition once again. Three players scored in double figures and one more (Justin Brownlee) added nine points. Had Brownlee made one more free throw, the Johnnies would have improved to 8-0 with four players scoring ten or more this season. Nevertheless, Rutgers was flustered offensively several times, committing 23 turnovers that led to 21 St. John’s points and 14 steals.
Although he only played eight minutes, Malik Stith was a solid reserve tonight. Stith only scored four points, but tonight earned the honor of the unsung hero. Stith initiated many moments that won’t show up in the box score tonight, and helped rally the team when Rutgers made runs to pull close and eventually tie the game.
Give Rutgers a great deal of credit. This game was eerily reminiscent of the first “Rocky” movie, where Apollo Creed (in this case, St. John’s) comes away the winner of the battle, but Rocky Balboa (Rutgers tonight) eventually gains the most credibility and wins the war.
Expanding on that last point, Rutgers brings in a boatload of talent just like St. John’s will be doing next year as well. Judging by tonight’s showing and the bright futures of both teams, it’s not inconceivable to see these two battle inside Madison Square Garden over the next few years for an upper-level standing in the Big East.
With a moderate schedule down the stretch, the Scarlet Knights could be in consideration for an NIT bid with a strong Big East tournament showing. How many people thought that possible this year?
No player or coach in the Big East is as underrated as Jonathan Mitchell or Mike Rice. Mitchell, who won a national championship as a backup with Florida in 2007 before transferring, continues to show his progress; and it’s a shame that he’s a senior, because he just gets better every night. As far as Rice is concerned, no one else does a better job of getting so much out of so little.
Rice only played nine tonight, and of his bench; Robert Lumpkins contributed most with 13 points, including three consecutive three-pointers. The last of those trifectas tied the game at 56, setting the stage for Brownlee’s last-second heroics.
Finally, Rutgers has underwent an extreme makeover since the last time they played the Red Storm one year ago yesterday at the RAC. Paris Horne elaborated on the difference between the teams postgame, saying the Scarlet Knights are “playing harder as a team” and have spread it out among their roster, a change from past years where Mike Rosario (who has since transferred to Florida) was the center of attention.

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