UMBC

Johnson, Mvouika step up in win against UMBC

November 17, 2015 by Dave Krupinski Leave a Comment

So far, so good for Chris Mullin’s squad.

The Red Storm defeated the UMBC Retrievers 75-53. Federico Mussini led the way for second straight game with 18 points and 6 assists. Seniors Durand Johnson and Rob Mvouika combined for 31 points fueling St. John’s in the 2nd half.

UMBC played as expected with their lead guards getting into the lane and their shooters set up around the perimeter. Their cold start helped St. John’s play with a lead for the entire game. UMBC started to heat up in the second half but Durand Johnson was hotter. The retrievers cut the deficit to two points but Johnson went on a tear scoring 9 straight points for the Johnnies. Mvouika poured it on late to seal the deal.

Game Notes

Positives:

The guys came ready to play and jumped out to an early lead.
Mullin took Ellison and Jones out early and put in Mvouika and Williams. Good adjustment.
Mussini got into the lane and converted tough layups.
Williams nailed the three as soon as he came in.
Alibegovic played positive minutes for 2nd straight game.
Mullin has had productive timeouts. Team comes out of the huddle prepared.
Mussini scored on hesitation dribble play out of the timeout to end the half.
Sima was a force blocking shots. Team blocked 11.
Durand Johnson stepped up huge in the 2nd half when the team needed him most.
The Federico Iverson crossover.
Mussini had 3 key defensive stops in the 2nd half two of which were in the paint on help defense.
In transition Mussini pump fake, no look pass to Mvouika for three to cap 15-6 run.
Mvouika was extremely clutch shooting 6-7 floor, 4-4 from three.
Christian Jones played with great energy. Took a fantastic charge which led to tech.
Durand Johnson finishing everything at the rim.
Mullin switching up the defenses coming out of timeouts keeping UMBC off balance.
The team playing well together as a unit. Ball movement is quick and decision making is decisive.
Closed out the game very strong. This is a good trend.
Mullin sipping Perrier.
Yakwe end of bench celebrations.

Negatives:

Team gave up way too many open looks from three. Better teams will cash in.
Sima had 4 fouls and didn’t register 20 minutes of playing time.
Ellison still struggling scoring the ball.
18 team turnovers.
Team fell into trigger happy trap from three late in first half.
Allowed 17 offensive rebounds to a poor rebounding team.
Only a +3 rebounding margin.
Empty seats in the arena. Need better attendance next game.

Overall

The team continues to show potential and the future is bright in Queens. There are good building blocks (Mussini, Sima, Ellison, and Williams) and solid stopgaps (Johnson, Mvouika) that will be fun to watch all season long. The team continued to surprise shooting the ball from deep but I’m still under the belief they can’t fall in love with the three ball. Next: Beat Rutgers

Game Preview: St. John’s takes on UMBC

November 16, 2015 by Dave Krupinski Leave a Comment

The undefeated Red Storm (1-0) faces off against the Retrievers, University of Maryland Baltimore County (0-1) at Carnesecca Arena tonight. This is the opening on campus game of the Maui Invitational Tournament.

UMBC showed in their first game of the season they can shoot the basketball. Three of their starters had more than 5 attempts from beyond the arc. Overall as a team they shot 9-25 from deep and will certainly look to do the same against the Red Storm.

This contrasts completely from what the Red Storm encountered in their opener against Wagner. Wagner was very anemic offensively but challenged defensively and on the boards. The Retrievers had a -23 rebounding margin against Wake Forest, but their shooting kept them within two possessions. It will be another interesting test for Mullin’s squad.

Game Info:

Date: Monday, November 16th, 2015
Location: Carnesecca Arena, Queens Campus
Time: 7:00 PM EST
TV: Fox Sports 1, FoxSports GO App
Radio: 970 WYNM

Key Match-up

Federico Mussini vs Jourdan Grant

Grant is a quick guard who likes to create havoc on both sides of the ball. He gave five star freshman Bryant Crawford all he could handle in the opener. Grant will look to get to the rim and while he is more pass first oriented he’ll also get to the line. Mussini has struggled defensively and this could be a real problem especially if he picks up a few cheap fouls early.

Keys to Victory

Force tough shots, keep them out of the paint– It’s no secret UMBC will jack from anywhere so make every shot a difficult one. Guys will need to lock up their man and not fall into the trap of collapsing which will leave guys open on the perimeter. Keep your man in front and trust your rim protecters.
Don’t play their game- If UMBC starts out the game cooking from three, St. John’s can’t try and match them. Get to the rim and assert your dominance athletically. While St. John’s shot really well from three in the opener it is a bit of fool’s gold.
Go inside, early and often- UMBC does not have an answer for Yankuba Sima or Christian Jones. Get Sima the ball early inside and let him go to work. This will open up the perimeter game as well. Jones will be able to bully his way to the hoop if he can catch, pivot, and face up.
Good things will happen when you rebound- When you play a team who likes to chuck there will be plenty of rebounding opportunities. There are two objectives: Stop second chance points and get into transition. Long shots will produce long rebounds so this is going to be a team effort.

The Shoeless Bandit: Malik Stith Steals Spotlight in 83-59 Win Over UMBC

November 14, 2011 by Daniel Martin 1 Comment

You wouldn’t have noticed if you weren’t paying attention.

On Friday afternoon, junior guard Malik Stith sat behind the table in St. John’s media room, a table with a red, floor-length banner that obscured the lower half of his seated body, and took questions, preceding St. John’s Sunday matchup with UMBC.

When the questioning had ended, Stith said, “Thank you,” got up, and left, heading out to, presumably, the St. John’s training room.

As he walked out the door, it became apparent: that man isn’t wearing any socks or shoes. At that point, it was really just an anecdotal detail.

When Stith eventually slid on some socks and tied his white and red Nikes for Sunday’s game versus UMBC, he put on one of the most impressive performances of his college career, turning his barefoot pregame interview into something more.

Stith, who has said that he partly blamed himself for the slow starts that had plagued this young St. John’s team, helped to spark a 9-1 run coming out of the gate in the second half that put the Red Storm in the driver’s seat for good, on their way to a dominating 83-59 victory.

“I think overall, it gives our team a huge lift, his aggression,” said sophomore guard Nurideen Lindsey, who came one assist shy of a triple-double, tallying 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists. “Offensively, he had a little pace going with himself. Him being our leader, we need that aggression and that intensity every night.”

MalikStithDefense — Malik Stith's breakout performance against UMBC was his most impressive since last year's season opener vs. St. Mary's (Ca.). (Photo: Dave Krupinski)

After scoring no points and turning the ball over once in the first half, Stith was aggressive in transition and in the half court, scoring seven points in the first three minutes of the second.

He went on to score 11 points on a very efficient 4/7 from the floor, two points shy of a career 13 in last year’s season opener versus St. Mary’s (Ca.).

“We kind of inverted, in long stretches, the game and had Malik run out and let Phil [Greene] or Nuri [Lindsey] push the ball,” head coach Steve Lavin explained, after the game. “And, when Malik gets catches down the floor in the scattered court, he’s got some nice cutback moves.”

Stith showed aggressiveness that has only been seen in flashes during his two-plus years at St. John’s, attacking the rim and sticking to his patented efficiency, turning the ball over just once in 27 minutes.

With only a seven-man rotation for St. John’s until at least December, the importance of Stith’s timely productivity will be amplified in upcoming games against Arizona, Kentucky, and Detroit.

If he can become a consistent contributor, along with his assumed role as the only player with more than three games of basketball experience at the Division I level, it will go a long way in smoothing the transition of the other, less experienced members of the Red Storm.

In his two years at St. John’s, Stith has not been used as a primary scoring option, but it appears a new role may be emerging for the Hempstead, Long Island native.

“He’s sturdy enough, in terms of the broad shoulders and the strength that he brings that he can get to the rim and finish,” said Lavin. “Based on the last couple games, it looks like, Malik may be better running the floor and getting catches, kind of like yards after the catch in football, and get to the hoop and try to draw a foul or score.”

And, though his status as the team’s elder statesman has earned him the nickname “Pops,” he’s still young and spry in his old age; he just has his slip-ups, on occasion.

Next time, someone just needs to remind him about his shoes.

St. John’s Looks To Go 3-0, Red Storm Face UMBC In Sunday Matinee

November 12, 2011 by Jaden Daly Leave a Comment

St. John’s rallied to a comeback win in their last game Wednesday night, erasing a 16-point deficit to beat Lehigh on a night highlighted by the triumphant surprise return of head coach Steve Lavin.

But, in Friday’s press conference, it was clear that the Red Storm are looking forward.

In the words of their own head coach last season, St. John’s now needs to put “hammer to rock” and move on to the next one, which comes against America East program UMBC, who represented the conference in the 2008 NCAA Tournament.

For the first time this season, the Red Storm compete directly with the National Football League, with a 2pm tip-off. JohnnyJungle.com gets you up to speed with everything you need to know about this Sunday’s matinee in Queens, below.

Date: Sunday, November 13, 2011
Location: Carnesecca Arena; Jamaica, New York
Time: 2:00 PM EST
TV: ESPN3 (espn3.com) via STJ-TV (Tony Luftman, Tarik Turner)
Radio: WBBR 1130 AM (John Minko, Tim O’Toole)
Online: WSJURadio.org (Mike Rossillo, Karl Delatorre)

St. John’s Red Storm (2-0)
Head Coach: Steve Lavin (2nd season, 23-12; 168-90 overall)

Projected Starting Lineup:
G Nurideen Lindsey (6-3 So., 17.0 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 62% FG, 47% FT, 2.5 APG, 4.0 SPG)
G Malik Stith (5-11 Jr., 4.0 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 67% FG, 1.5 APG)
G D’Angelo Harrison (6-3 Fr., 13.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 38% FG, 30% 3pt, 73% FT, 1.0 APG, 2.5 SPG)
F God’sgift Achiuwa (6-8 Jr., 19.0 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 71% FG, 88% FT, 1.0 APG, 1.0 BPG)
F Moe Harkless (6-8 Fr., 16.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 45% FG, 33% 3pt, 36% FT, 2.5 APG, 1.0 BPG, 1.5 SPG)

Key Reserves:
F Sir’Dominic Pointer (6-5 Fr., 5.5 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 67% FG, 100% 3pt, 40% FT, 1.0 BPG, 1.5 SPG)
G Phil Greene (6-2 Fr., 1.5 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 75% FT, 1.0 APG, 1.0 SPG)

Keys To Victory:

– Come out firing on both sides. St. John’s can take care of business offensively if the right shots fall at the right time, but in each of the first two games the Johnnies have played so far, their defensive efforts have yet to yield favorable results until the second half. Going against a UMBC team that committed 20 turnovers in its season opener Friday night against Penn, the press defense and matchup zone needs to be executed to near-perfection on almost every possession to avoid a repeat of the first two opening halves, even though the Retrievers missed each of their eleven three-point attempts in their 59-45 loss to the Quakers.

– Yes Sir! Each of the first two games has a common thread: A standout defensive exhibition from Sir’Dominic Pointer in the second half. Be it a block from out of nowhere or a run down the court to steal a potential field goal against Lehigh, the Detroit product has demonstrated an innate ability to go after the ball on each end. However, Pointer’s offensive prowess has yet to be maximized at this point in the season. Pointer should have many opportunities to change that against a UMBC squad that averaged just 64 points per game during a five-win campaign.

– Divine intervention. God’sgift Achiuwa has come out from the half-dozen newcomers and established himself as the leader in the clubhouse in the race for “most impressive newcomer.” Achiuwa has posted near-double-doubles in each of the first two contests for St. John’s, and solidified his reputation as an effective post presence with his 21 points on a perfect shooting night against Lehigh. The Nigerian big man will draw a UMBC frontcourt of equal stature to his 6’8″ frame, but Achiuwa should have his moments of dominance more often than not.

Now, to get you caught up on the team making the trip up Interstate 95 into Queens…

UMBC Retrievers (0-1)
Head Coach: Randy Monroe (8th season, 81-135)

Projected Starting Lineup:
G Joey Getz (6-0 Fr., 4.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 25% FG, 67% FT, 3.0 APG, 1.0 SPG)
G Jamar Wertz (6-3 So., 6.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 25% FG, 100% FT, 1.0 SPG)
F Adrian Satchell (6-5 Jr., 4.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 40% FG, 1.0 SPG)
F Chase Plummer (6-6 So., 15.0 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 36% FG, 56% FT, 2.0 BPG, 2.0 SPG)
F Nate Basalyga (6-9 Fr., 1.0 RPG, 1.0 APG)

Key Reserves:
G Brian Neller (6-4 Jr., 4.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 13% FG, 100% FT, 2.0 APG, 1.0 SPG)
F Jake Wasco (6-8 Sr., 4.0 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 100% FG)
F Will Wise (6-8 Fr., 2.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 100% FG, 1.0 SPG)
F Chandler Thomas (6-6 Fr., 3.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 33% FG, 50% FT)

Keys To Victory:

– Rookie quarterback. With senior Chris De La Rosa still recovering from offseason foot surgery and not expected to play, freshman Joey Getz has been thrust into the role of floor general for coach Randy Monroe. Although he only made one field goal Friday night, the Philadelphia native posted well-rounded numbers against Penn, with four points, five rebounds and three assists. Getz’s baptism by fire continues Sunday when he goes up against fellow City of Brotherly Love native Nurideen Lindsey at the point.

– Keep it simple. UMBC enduring an 0-for-11 performance from three-point range Friday night against Penn could be a blessing in disguise. Given that St. John’s has had difficulty closing to the arc early in games thus far, open looks for the Retrievers could result in brick after brick that will enable St. John’s to draw away sooner rather than later. With that in mind, UMBC would be better off going inside, especially to swingman Chase Plummer. The 6-6 sophomore started his second campaign with a very promising showing in the loss to the Quakers, finishing one rebound shy of a double-double while leading his team with 15 points.

– Fear the triple. One big reason why Penn was able to defeat the Retrievers convincingly was due to their six three-pointers, four of which came from shooting guard Zack Rosen. St. John’s has been streaky from beyond the arc so far, but that does not mean the Johnnies don’t have the shooters to put games away from long range. If UMBC can single out D’Angelo Harrison and even Moe Harkless on film and adequately prepare for their forays outside the line, they will be in this game longer than some people expect.

So, Who Wins?
On paper, this looks like the easiest of the three matchups St. John’s has been a part of this season. On the court, it may be just the same. UMBC will need to exert themselves against competition they have not won against in quite some time, with a 12-game losing streak dating back to 2000. For St. John’s, all they need to do is stay out of trouble, and the win that fans and experts expect should come to them before the final buzzer. UMBC is on the rise, but the loss of their senior leader will prove too much for them to overcome, as the Red Storm make their 2011-12 Madison Square Garden debut as an undefeated team.

Final Score: St. John’s 79, UMBC 53