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Not Enough Juice In The End

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At various points this afternoon, it seemed like it was not only possible, but destined to happen.  The ten men that make up St. John’s senior class have done many things together, but beating Syracuse had not been one of them.  Barring a third showdown in the NCAA Tournament, it looks like a win against the Orange will stand as the lone accomplishment missing from their resumes.

Paced by five players in double figures, including a career-high 12 points from freshman Fab Melo, the Orange (26-6) finally wore down St. John’s (21-11) and put the game away, defeating the Johnnies by the final of 79-73 in their Big East quarterfinal matchup.  Next up for Syracuse will be Connecticut, who defeated Pittsburgh 76-74 on a Kemba Walker buzzer-beater.  If recent history is any indication, tomorrow night’s semifinal matchup between the Huskies and Orange will be an epic, as their last Big East tournament contest was the legendary 127-117 Syracuse victory in an instant classic that took six overtimes to resolve.  Besides Melo having the game of his life, Brandon Triche (22 points) was the biggest factor for a Syracuse team making their second semifinal appearance in the last three years.

Malik Stith drives to the basket against Syracuse in St. John's 79-73 loss at the Garden

“I thought it was a great game,” said Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim.  “I thought Kris (Joseph) and Scoop (Jardine) bounced back with a great second half, and Brandon really got us going.”  Triche made four of the Orange’s seven three-pointers, prompting his coach to praise the sophomore shooting guard as a player who has “stepped up his shooting and kind of given us someone to go to that we didn’t have earlier in the year.”  Rick Jackson had a quiet ten points and nine rebounds, dominating a St. John’s interior game that was weakened due to the early loss of D.J. Kennedy, who was helped off the court favoring his right knee in the first half and did not return.  No official update has been given regarding Kennedy’s condition; but judging by the subdued and morose tones of St. John’s coach Steve Lavin and players Sean Evans and Dwight Hardy, it is much more serious than initially feared, perhaps as severe as a torn ACL and/or MCL.

“I’m proud of the way they were able to overcome adversity,” said Lavin after the game, the first in which the Red Storm suffered a loss when at least four players score in double figures.  Evans, who had a second consecutive solid game with 11 points and 12 rebounds, was clearly the most devastated by the loss of his teammate Kennedy, who is one of his closest friends on the team.  “I think it hurts me as much as it hurts him,” said the senior from Philadelphia.  “I’m going to play as hard as I can for D.J. and the rest of the team.”  Hardy, whose 22 points led St. John’s and tied Triche for the game high, said that if Kennedy didn’t get to play down the stretch, “it’s going to be devastating.”

St. John’s overcame a lackluster start in which Syracuse opened the game on a 14-5 run to take a five-point lead heading into the intermission.  The Orange then proceeded to come out of the break on a 9-1 run highlighted by trifectas from Jardine and Triche to take a 41-38 lead.  The rest of the second half went back and forth until an inbounds play designed for Jackson was executed to perfection.  The only difference is, Triche found a fast-breaking Fab Melo instead; and the Brazilian rookie laid it in to break a 68-all tie and give Syracuse a lead it would not relinquish.

While the Orange await UConn for the right to play for a conference title, St. John’s will head through the Midtown Tunnel back into Queens to await their fate on Selection Sunday.  Although the Red Storm are considered a lock for the 68-team field, it is still unknown as to where they will play or what seed they will receive.  Until then, here are this afternoon’s lasting impressions on a game that defined the words “Big East battle.”

Lasting Impressions

  • After Kemba Walker’s game-winning heroics, the UConn-Pitt game was going to be a tough act to follow.  Syracuse and St. John’s may not have provided a dramatic ending the way Walker did two hours prior, but the quality of the game was just as good, if not slightly better.
  • After not living up to the hype throughout the regular season, Fab Melo now has two consecutive double-figure scoring outings.  Melo had 10 against DePaul last Saturday, and set a new career high with 12 today against St. John’s.  After the game, Jim Boeheim explained that his freshman center had been practicing well, so he expected some improvement from the man voted preseason rookie of the year in the Big East.
  • Never underestimate Brandon Triche.  The sophomore has made it easy to forget Andy Rautins in upstate New York, and his 22 points (albeit on 5-for-13 shooting) provided another clutch effort for the Orange, who have turned the tide after a four-game losing streak midway through the conference schedule that Scoop Jardine called “the best thing that could have happened to us,” as it kept the team together.
  • Even with the loss, take nothing away from St. John’s.  They are one of the better teams in the country, and should be rewarded as such this Sunday night, perhaps with a 5 seed; maybe even a 4 depending on how much the selection committee values a Big East conference that will more than likely send eleven teams to the Big Dance.
  • Finally, if this truly was the last time he took the court, let’s take a moment to recognize the career of one David J. Kennedy.  “The Hitman” was a cornerstone of this St. John’s team for four years, blossoming from a raw left-handed swingman under Norm Roberts to a polished playmaker that could score and work behind the scenes under Steve Lavin with equal precision and capability.  A player like Kennedy will not be forgotten anytime soon on the corner of Union and Utopia, and his contributions to the restoration of St. John’s basketball are simply too extensive to mention.  The man who wore jersey No. 1 on the court will almost certainly be player No. 1 in the minds of St. John’s fans around the world when the Red Storm’s return to glory is referenced.

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

Orange Crush Squeezes Johnnies

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The matchup was hyped as a battle for Empire State supremacy, as fourth-ranked Syracuse sought to prove once and for all that they were the face of New York college basketball, while St. John’s wanted to show the Orange and fans across the state that they have not left yet.  Unfortunately for the Johnnies, their Big Apple wasn’t as juicy as the Orange.

St. John's Justin Burrell, center, protects the ball from Syracuse's Rick Jackson, right, and James Southerland during the first half. (Redstormsports.com)
Using their world-famous 2-3 zone defense and athleticism that has become a trademark under longtime coach Jim Boeheim, Syracuse (17-0, 4-0 in the Big East) shook off a lackluster start and exerted their muscle at a venue that usually doubles as a de facto home arena for the Orange; overpowering St. John’s (10-5, 3-2) down the stretch to prevail by the final of 76-59. Four Orange players scored in double figures, led by Kris Joseph (18 points, five rebounds, three assists) and Brandon Triche. (15 points and four assists) Scoop Jardine added 14 points and six assists while his high school teammate Rick Jackson added yet another double-double to his ledger with 12 points and 10 rebounds.  Despite the win, the head coach was far from ecstatic.

“We need to improve a lot,” said Coach Boeheim in his postgame press conference, and he directed that comment toward his big men, who were largely nonexistent with the exception of Jackson.  Nonetheless, Syracuse outplayed the Red Storm in nearly every aspect of the game, shooting 57 percent from the field (31-of-54 overall and 63 percent in the second half) and 45 percent (9-for-20) from beyond the arc, showing that the Johnnies still have not mastered the art of the zone defense that the Orange has perfected over the years.  Of the nine trifectas, Triche led the way with three of them.  “If he doesn’t shoot within the first ten minutes, he waits to see if we need him,” said Boeheim of the guard that he felt showed the biggest improvement on the team when I spoke to him at the Big East’s preseason media day in October.  St. John’s head coach Steve Lavin deflected more praise toward the sophomore guard after his electrifying performance at Madison Square Garden.  “Brandon Triche is a microcosm of the whole Syracuse team,” said a dejected Lavin after the game.  “You don’t notice him for a stretch and then he steps up.”

Justin Brownlee (13 points) was one of the few who stepped up for St. John’s, who were done in by a 2-for-12 performance from long range.  Dwight Hardy drained both triples for the Storm, finishing with 12 for the game.  St. John’s started out strong, leading 17-9 at one point; but things spiraled out of control for the boys from Queens shortly thereafter, as the Orange ended the first half on a 26-7 run that included the final ten points of the opening stanza.  “When you’re playing the No. 4 team in the country, you can’t get down too many points,” said D.J. Kennedy, who finished with just four points.  Teammate Justin Burrell expanded on that observation, adding that the team is “not supposed to let their emotions affect them.”  Burrell also felt the Storm missed executing a key to victory by failing to defend from outside.  “We definitely didn’t close to the three-point line hard enough,” said Burrell.  Perhaps the biggest indicator of the disparity between the two teams came on the glass, where Syracuse picked up 28 defensive rebounds to just 12 offensive boards for St. John’s, a nuance that was discussed before the contest as a potential deciding factor.

“Our counter punching wasn’t up to par for the Big East,” remarked Steve Lavin after the game, noting Syracuse’s game-breaking run going into the intermission.  However, his senior leader put a positive spin on the loss.  “We just have to go back to the drawing board,” said Kennedy. “Tomorrow’s a new day in the Big East. We just have to look forward to the next game.”  That game comes against Notre Dame, who defeated St. John’s 76-61 on their home court at the Joyce Center just four days ago. The Fighting Irish will travel to the Garden for the back end of a home-and-home matchup that concludes Sunday afternoon.

Below, in a new feature to the postgame recap, are some lasting impressions from this game; featuring insights on what developed during the game, as well as plays and players that made an impact.

Lasting Impressions

  • The Orange started to fire with eight minutes left in the first half after Kris Joseph drained a three to cut the Red Storm lead to five. (17-12) The trifecta started a 10-0 run capped off by a running slam from Brandon Triche that gave the Orange their first lead, one they ultimately held for good.
  • Speaking of Triche, his matchup against Dwight Hardy was the difference in the game. Triche emerged from this battle victorious; which he did by going 6-of-11 from the field (3-for-6 from downtown) compared to a 4-for-15 effort (2-of-7 from long range) from Hardy. Triche will be a special player (not that he isn’t already) if he stays for both of his remaining years, and is on his way to being the next Gerry McNamara for Boeheim and the Orange. In fact, Triche already has a major accomplishment after just a year and a half in an Orange jersey: He has made some fans forget about former Orange marksman and current New York Knick Andy Rautins; who, ironically enough, shared a backcourt with Triche at Jamesville-DeWitt High School in upstate New York.
  • Calling Joseph’s number again here, because he provided the icing on the cake much earlier than anyone probably anticipated with his dunk that came with 11:30 in regulation.  The slam put Syracuse ahead 52-35; and although the teams played to a 24-all tie for the remainder of the night, it effectively killed all momentum that the Johnnies had prior.
  • It seemed as though Justin Burrell was the only player getting involved on the glass for St. John’s throughout most of the second half, and the lack of rebounding initiative only helped Syracuse down the stretch on their way to picking up 28 defensive boards to just 12 on the offensive side for the Storm.
  • Shot selection is still a critical aspect of the game for St. John’s.  Many times in this game were there instances where the Johnnies chucked up mid-range jumpers and NBA-range threes in an attempt to cut into the Syracuse lead.  Maybe they would have been better served going inside and taking it to a relatively undersized Syracuse lineup, but hindsight is 20/20.
  • Finally, for those not sure of whether or not Syracuse is a legitimate contender, this game should be Exhibit A of why they are.  This clearly wasn’t the best effort from the Orange, but they showed they were the better team; and come March, that’s all you need to do.  Syracuse has yet to hit their best stride in my opinion, and could seriously be a Final Four team in two months’ time.

This Is Not Your Garden

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Syracuse has taken over Madison Square Garden in earlier visits to play St. John’s. Their Orange-clad fans cheer like it’s a home game, the Red Storm faithful are drowned out – an embarrassing scene for coaches, players, fans, and potential recruits.

But the Red Storm are no longer pushovers. With a new coach, new dedication, and some new confidence, this game won’t be lack the last 2 contests against the Orange. The Orange have turned the last 2 games into laughers, whooping and hollering on the bench as they play got ragged, and garbage time extended into double-digit minutes.

This year’s ‘Cuse team might be undefeated. But flawless? Not quite. The Red Storm seniors have a chance to knock off Syracuse for the first time in their careers.

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Syracuse (16-0, 3-0)

The defining feature of the Orange is their defense, and their defensive length. They defend well inside with their forwards, Baye Keita and Rick Jackson, with Fab Melo getting some minutes. The tall Brazilian Melo is still acclimating to the college game, and will play less than fellow freshman Keita at center. Rick Jackson is an elite shot blocker, and is an excellent scorer from close to the hoop with his new slimness and stamina.

On the perimeter, Brandon Triche and Kris Joseph are two of the Orange’s better outside shooters. Both look to drive a little more than they shoot from the perimeter, and are aggressive in transition. Joseph is long and lean, a very good jack of all trades; he blocks shots and forces turnovers along with his scoring. Triche is a bit of a point guard, and a bull going to the rim. Sometimes, he seems a little single-minded about where he wants to go. Dion Waiters is a freshman backup, who can pass as well as hit a jump shot. James Southerland profiles as as strictly a jump shooter; he draws no fouls.

The team is led by Scoop Jardine, the point guard out of Philly. He has been a top-level distributor by the numbers this season. Jardine also snags some steals, draws a healthy number of fouls. He scores well inside but those perimeter jumpers he takes… 28% is not the mark of success.

The Orange have had a number of games where their defense has won the day… and their offense didn’t show up for large portions of the game. They’re not an automatic scoring machine like last year’s edition, and it leaves them vulnerable.

Keys to the Game

ABM – Always Be Moving. In the halfcourt, St. John’s has to make the zone move and not settle for outside shots. They have been good at moving the ball patiently, looking for interior scoring first. They need to be better Wednesday night.

Slow Down Their Transition. The Orange aren’t the best shooters – they have had some stinker games, especially from the perimeter. And there is some speed on their wings.

Offensive Rebounding. St. John’s needs to be active in looking for second shots for more scoring opportunities.

Turnovers. St. John’s also can’t give up scoring opportunities to token pressure from the Cuse guards or traps within the 2-3 zone. And if St. John’s can force some turnovers, that would be good as well.

Patience. St. John’s has to play their game and not try to start jacking up bad 3-pointers or getting frustrated at an Orange run.

Prediction: It could happen. 65-61, St. John’s.

Lavin A Johnny Rocket

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Steve Lavin, shown here with ESPN's John Anderson at Red Storm Tip-Off, was center of attention at Big East media day. (Photo courtesy of Jaden Daly)

When Steve Lavin replaced Norm Roberts at St. John’s seven months ago, anyone who was remotely affiliated with St. John’s basketball realized immediately that positive changes were in store. Yesterday morning’s Big East media day proved no exception to the recent status quo in Queens, as Lavin was surrounded by hundreds of reporters, radio personnel and various other media members at Madison Square Garden for well over an hour. In fact, Lavin’s massive popularity kept him at the St. John’s table for an extra twenty minutes after his radio and print media session ended; and although late for the TV portion of the event, the extroverted head coach continued to stop and engage anyone who came within his field of vision on the way up the stairs.

Although there were more than enough nuggets from Coach Lavin himself to fill this post, (I’ll have some of those in a future edition of the Daly Dribble) the comments provided to me from Lavin’s sideline counterparts were just as beneficial in shedding some light on the increased expectations the Johnnies are now seeing for themselves.

Villanova head coach Jay Wright and UConn’s Jim Calhoun were the first to herald St. John’s experience. Calhoun said it would “carry them a long way. Always has, always will,” while Wright said the Johnnies “know what it takes to win,” and thinks “they’ll be a very good team.”

Mike Brey, the Notre Dame coach whose Fighting Irish team has lost to St. John’s in each of the last two years, was somewhat relieved to be welcoming the Johnnies into the Joyce Center in South Bend. Brey praised Lavin’s arrival and said he “inherits a team of experienced guys,” and that “he’ll do a very good job.” Brey also stated what Red Storm fans feel to be obvious when he proclaimed that there was “new life around the program.” West Virginia head man Bob Huggins complimented Lavin’s past recruiting record, which was on full display this past weekend with newcomer Dwayne Polee, who has made quite an impact since coming to the Queens campus.

Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim, whose Orange squad heads into the Garden to tip off against the Johnnies on January 12, praised Lavin’s experience as well. “I think Steve’s going to do a great job. He’s got a lot of veterans, which is going to help him.” Boeheim also commented on Lavin’s marquee status being able to draw fans into the “World’s Most Famous Arena,” a venue that usually serves as a de facto home game for Syracuse. “When we play St. John’s here, there probably won’t be so much orange,” said Boeheim after I reminded him that nearly every Syracuse game at the Garden provides a sea of orange as the backdrop in the stands.

The most interesting and brutally honest commentary came from Louisville coach Rick Pitino, who created somewhat of an added buzz when it was revealed that he was the one coach who picked the Johnnies first in the Big East preseason poll, a vote won by Pittsburgh. “I’m just trying to throw something against the wall and hope it sticks,” gushed Pitino, who gave the story more juice by saying he “made that pick before Steve (Lavin) came along, and now that he’s come along, I’m happy with my pick.” Pitino emphasized the talent, experience and style the Johnnies have employed over the years as the reasons behind his rather surprising vote, as well as the hunger on the team considering that no St. John’s player has made the NCAA Tournament.

Fellow Big East newcomer Kevin Willard of Seton Hall spoke of creating a culture with Lavin and Rutgers head man Mike Rice that could draw high school kids to the New York area and not have them leave.

Cincinnati’s Mick Cronin went through a situation in his first year with the Bearcats similar to what Lavin will experience next year, one where almost every player graduated.  Cronin did provide this great quote about Carnesecca Arena when I mentioned his team’s recent success there. “It takes the kids back to their high school days. It reminds them where they came from. It warms up pretty quick, but that doesn’t make it any easier to win,” stated the underrated Cronin, picked 12th in the Big East preseason poll.

Marquette coach Buzz Williams lauded Lavin as a “really good person” with great energy, calling his arrival a “perfect storm.” I’m not sure if there was any pun intended by Williams when he told me that, but fans of St. John’s are thinking the exact same thing.