St. John's makes big impression with road win vs. Villanova
St. John's Zuby Ejoifor goes up for the shot as Villanova's Eric Dixon defends during an NCAA men's basketball game at Villanova on Saturday. Credit: St. John's
VILLANOVA, Pa.
Try this one on for size: first-place St. John’s.
That’s exactly where things stand in the Big East after the Red Storm’s 81-71 victory over Villanova on Saturday afternoon. A sellout crowd of 6,501 filed out quietly after a game in which the Wildcats never led and trailed by double figures for all but one second of the last 11:54.
It had been more than three decades since St. John’s last won at Villanova's on-campus arena (a 14-game losing streak). And it might be the first time chants of “Let’s Go Johnnies” echoed off its walls — something heard several times in the second half.
The Red Storm (11-4, 3-1) have company atop the conference in Villanova (10-5, 3-1), No. 4 UConn and surprising Seton Hall. This is the first time St. John's has been 3-1 after four Big East games since 2010-11, when Steve Lavin was the coach and Dwight Hardy starred.
This Red Storm season, the first under Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino, is starting to have a feeling about it. Events like these — accomplishments that haven’t been achieved in generations — could become commonplace. St. John’s followers might not say it aloud, but the idea of a first NCAA Tournament win since 2000 is a start of what they truly covet.
But these are goals that all of the Red Storm players had when they came (or stayed) for this season.
“That’s why I committed here,” said Brady Dunlap, who got his first start and delivered 15 points, including three three-pointers. “It’s why everyone in the locker room committed here. Coach Pitino [wanted] to change what’s going on here at St. John’s. Come and change the program around to like they had it back in the '80s. And it’s just truly special to be part of something like that with Coach Pitino and the guys in the locker room.”
Pitino sat alongside Joel Soriano, who had 20 points and eight rebounds, and Daniss Jenkins, who finished with 18 points and five assists, at the postgame news conference. He was asked about the team's first win at the arena since January 1993 and best start in 13 years.
“It was a really good win,” he replied. “I don’t look at the past too much. You both cherish and learn from it — you don’t live in it. The future is going to take care of itself if these two guys keep playing like that . . . I’m just real proud of our guys.”
Beyond the performances of Soriano, Jenkins and Dunlap, the Red Storm got 11 points from RJ Luis. They shot 57% in the second half, converted nine offensive rebounds into 16 points and won without the services of Chris Ledlum, who is sidelined with an ankle sprain.
If there is a real point of pride for Pitino right now, though, it would have to be the way St. John’s defends. Early in the season, he lamented that only Jenkins and Nahiem Alleyne played defense and used the word “abominable” to describe the Red Storm’s defense after a loss to Boston College less than a month ago. But this team has found a passion to stop opponents.
The Red Storm’s defense charted the course Saturday by keeping Villanova off the scoreboard for the first 3:42 while it built a 10-0 lead. It limited the Wildcats to 39% shooting, turned their 11 turnovers into 18 points and did it with few fouls committed. St. John’s hasn’t trailed in any of its past three games.
“With the exception of [Jenkins], we recruited all offensive basketball players and we are trying to teach them defense,” Pitino said. “[Playing] defense is just hard work and paying attention to scouting. Now they are all becoming a good defensive team. They are mixing up their zone with their man. They are mixing up their presses. They are an intelligent group.”
“I feel like this is only the beginning for us,” Soriano said. “We had a couple games in the beginning [where] we were we were getting used to each other and . . . we weren't paying attention to most of our scouting reports. Guys are more in tune to what we need to do to be the team we want to be.”
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.
