St. John’s is off to their best start since the 1982-83 season.
St. John’s guard Shamorie Ponds — Image credit: Paul J. Bereswill
The time has finally come for St. John’s to show everyone they’re not a mirage this season. Their 12-0 record has opened eyes and turned heads; but not enough to secure a Top 25 ranking in the polls.
This Saturday night, all eyes in the Big East conference will turn towards Newark, New Jersey. St. John’s will face Seton Hall in front of a sellout crowd at Prudential Center (“The Rock”). It will be the conference opener for both teams.
That sound the Red Storm is hearing, that’s opportunity knocking.
Seton Hall’s surprising 9-3 start has the Pirates looking to confirm they’re for real this season. St. John’s is in a similar position, however, for different reasons.
After last season, and after completing their third consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament, Seton Hall lost four three-year starters to graduation (Angel Delgado, Desi Rodriguez, Khadeen Carrington, and Ish Sanogo). Early expectations for the Pirates this season, understandably had them picked to finish eighth in the Big East preseason rankings.
While their 9-3 record also failed to produce a Top 25 ranking, Seton Hall definitely has the attention of voters with their performance against non-conference opponents. Quality wins over Miami, Kentucky, and Maryland stand out on their resume.
St. John’s, meanwhile, has quietly gone about their business and piled up wins. To the voters, looking at their non-conference schedule, perhaps too quiet.
The non-conference schedule is a key component to the resume of any team positioning for an NCAA Tournament bid in March. The selection committee will always factor conference wins, of course. But, they’ll also look at how teams schedule themselves in the non-conference portion.
Quality wins always matter. While the Red Storm picked up a hard-fought overtime win over VCU, a perennial top team in the Atlantic 10, the rest of their non-conference slate lacks the signature win voters are always looking for. It’s the next step for their program.
Both of these teams are looking to send early messages to the rest of the conference and the nation. This Big East opener is going to be about signature wins and respect.
But head coach Chris Mullin will probably do his best to keep the Red Storm on message. Their goal has been one game, one win, at a time. And this has shown in their style of play.
There’s a reason why St. John’s is one of only five remaining unbeaten teams in Division I college basketball. Their brand of unselfish basketball is the key component to their early success.
Everyone Eats When It Comes To The Offensive Attack of St. John’s
Lead guard Shamorie Ponds is shooting 52 percent from the field this season, he’s leading the team with 19.6 points per game. Ponds isn’t just getting buckets, he’s also doing a great job getting teammates involved.
Six of the seven players for St. John’s, which played at least 12 games this season, are shooting over 40 percent from the field. Four players are averaging double figures in points per game. The Red Storm have scored at least 80 points in nine of their 12 games.
When it comes to the offensive game plan, the logic has been kept simple by Mullin. Move the ball, find the open man, and knock down the shot.
It’s been a long time coming for St. John’s. They have not been to the NCAA Tournament since 2015. This could be the year Mullin delivers for the fan base which has patiently waited for a return to prominence.
But the next step is showing everyone they’re 12-0 record isn’t a mirage. They can take that next step by setting an early tone in the Big East, on the road, against Seton Hall.
