JOHNNIES THROTTLED ON HOME FLOOR

March 12, 2009


by Zach Smart


Norm Roberts may have slept well Tueday night. His dreams of defining the moment, a message he sent to his team loud and clear before they posted a first-round upset of rival Georgetown yesterday, may have very well been intact last night.

Any further thoughts of the Johnnies revamping their image and bringing basketball back to New York, however, were thwarted just moments into the 74-45 battering they suffered to an undermanned Marquette team.

This was a nightmare for Norm. The Johnnies were beaten, battered, bruised, bludgeoned, and humorously humiliated before a Garden crowd that included SJU legends Chris Mullin and Louie Carnesecca.
The Johnnies apparently never overcame the hangover of upsetting Georgetown in the opening round of this year's new, all-inclusive tournament format.

They came out of the gates as flat as a board, building a Great Wall of China with an overabundance of bricks. They failed to defend the castle on the other side of the floor, as the defensively inept doormats served up 38 Golden Eagle points while scoring an abysmal 10 first half points.

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It established a new tournament low. There was a lid on the basket throughout the first half, and the Johnnies looked like they couldn't shoot a ball into the river if they were standing on the George Washington Bridge.

An exasperated Roberts and a shocked Mullin watched as they shot the ball at an atrocious 3-for-22 clip, committing 10 first-half turnovers as well.

Balance in the scorebook helped Marquette paint the Madison Square Garden floor in slippery, sputtering gold-and-blue. The Golden Eagles smothered the Johnnies' hopes of fighting another day behind Wesley Matthews, who scored 20 points to lead all scorers.

Lazar Hayward chipped in with 17 points on 8-of-15 shooting. Jimmy Butler and Jerel McNeal each added 11.

SJU, which showed no offensive flow throughout the game, fell behind 31-8--Marquette had nearly four times as many points--after back-to-back Hayward buckets with 2:14 remaining in the first.

Marquette continued to jack the score up in the second half, running off a 14-4 spurt which gave them a 50-21 bulge on a McNeal layup with 12:42 remaining.

Dominic James, Marquette's star senior guard who went down with a season-ending broken foot injury during the loss to UConn, sported smiles for the first time in a while.

James, who's been relegated to the role of cheerleader (or de facto assistant coach), watched as the Johnnies had no answer for Matthews and struggled to put the ball in the hoop.

The Johnnie shot a below freezing 18-for-46 from the floor. They were 2-for-10 from beyond the confines of the arc and 7-of-14 from the charity stripe.

Just when you thought the Johnnies were on the verge of no longer languishing around the .500 mark or pull off a pulsating victory, the Johnnies' unleash a stinker that even Erick Barkley and Omar Cook would turn their nose at.

This is life in the nation's toughest conference. One day there is a glimmer of hope that pumps life into a dwindling fanbase, the next day you slip right back under the albatross of inspection.

Losing respectably is one thing. Selling the farm, allowing visitors from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to dance all over your face on your newly-minted gold and blue colored court, is another.

ROBERTS, JOHNNIES LIVE TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY

By Zach Smart

NEW YORK--I'm a block from the Mecca of basketball in the big city of dreams, anticipating the biggest game St. John's has played since 2003.

There's a laundry-list of ticket pushers I can score a ticket from. I have one connect (don't get it twisted, he's legit--I go to him for cheap-as-dirt Knickerbockers tickets and he's even hooking me up for the Ludacris concert in Connecticut in May) who's got me covered, I'm going to report to him in about 15 minutes.

So, it looks like Norm Roberts was eating good last night. After all the hearsay and talk of him needing to be supplanted ASAP--albeit his job security has been intact all this time--Roberts muted his detractors, as the Johnnies stamped a 64-59 victory over Georgetown in the opening round of the 2009 Big East Tournament.

Paris Horne, the Delaware-bred guard who slipped under the recruiting radar and is coming into his own in his sophomore season, led the Johnnies with a game-high 23 points.

Theo Rabinowitz, a longtime St. John's/Big East analyst and New York City basketball junkie from Long Island, put the resume win in perspective.

"Georgetown has struggled this year, and I don't think it was like beating the Hoya team of 2007, but obviously it's huge for the players' confidence and just getting the first post-season win during the Norm Roberts era under their belt is huge," said Rabinowitz, who attended White Plains high school (Westchester County, NY) during the Sean Kilpatrick-Devon Austin-Quentin Martin-David Boykin era.

"I think it's a good win for the program though and to beat a traditional rival like Georgetown makes it even more important."

The loyal SJU fan base--which been with the program through thick and thin-- had no complaints yesterday.

Nobody was in the stands calling for Norm's job and the 13th-seeded Johnnies reeled off a 14-7 surge (which featured a personal 6-0 run from Horne) to close out their most pivotal win of the season and recent memory.

Sean Evans, a 6-foot-8 forward who's beginning to flower, copped a double-double. The sophomore from Philadelphia scored 12 points and tore down a game-high 13 boards.

DJ Kennedy, who's been a major catalyst following the season-ending injury to Anthony Mason Jr., paced the Johnnies with 14 points.

Kennedy, the high school teammate of Big East co-MVP DuJuan Blair, got into a scary collision with referee Mike Kitts in the second half. Kennedy ran into Kitts during the culmination of a St. John's fast break, and both player and referee went sprawling to the ground.

Kennedy ended up alright, while Kitts suffered a face contusion.

For SJU, It's never too late to turn the tide.

Prior to the season, there was much negativity surrounding the program and word around the campfire that Roberts was on a short leash. The situation festered when Mason Jr. suffered a season-ending injury. The Johnnies opened up the season with their best start since the 1994-95 campaign but tailed off, significantly, once Big East play came around.

Fans continued to voice their displeasure, appointing Roberts as the prime target of their boos.

Roberts, who said he's trying to scour the New York landscape for the best players no matter what, didn't buy into the rumors.

He helped the Johnnies pull off their second victory over their traditional blood rivals in just over a week. Now the Johnnies will be put to the test, facing a Marquette team that may be without Dominic James but still has plenty of firepower (see McNeal Jerel, Matthews, Wesley or Heyward, Lazar).

The new 16-team post-season format bodes well for the Johnnies. An upset over Marquette would vault them into a new, high-rent area code--one which they couldn't have envisioned at the start of the season.

BET GAME PREVIEW: ST. JOHN'S VS MARQUETTE

March 11, 2009


St. John's is playing the role of the rude host of the 2009 Big East Tournament as they made Georgetown's stay short and not very sweet as they knocked the Hoyas off, 64-59, in the opening round on Tuesday.

It was the second time in a week that the Redstorm had beaten Georgetown in Madison Square Garden. On March 3rd, SJU won a 59-56 overtime decision. On Tuesday, Paris Horne scored a game-high 23 points and Sean Evans, just like the previous meeting, registered a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds.

Next up for St. John's is Marquette, a team that beat the Johnnies 73-59 back on February 14th in Milwaukee. Jerel McNeal had 20 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 steals in the previous meeting. The Golden Eagles also got 18 points from Lazar Hayward and 12 points, 6 assists and just one turnover from point guard Dominic James.

However, James is unavailable for Marquette after breaking a bone in his foot early on in a loss to UConn back on February 25th. Including the loss to the Huskies, the Golden Eagles have lost all four games without James and now must face a hungry 'Storm club on their home floor to open the conference tournament. Another loss and it could be devastating to their seed in the 2009 NCAA Tournament.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on today's game:

Golden Eagles Preview: Marquette vs. St. John's (Post-Crescent)
Character Held Seniors Together (Journal-Sentinel)
St. John's Gets into Main Draw vs. Marquette (Newsday)
Game Proves Redstorm Rivalry Still Alive (NY Post)
Golden Eagles Ready to Soar (Journal-Sentinel)

Two years ago, Marquette and St. John's met in Madison Square Garden in the opening round of the Big East Tournament in similar circumstances as the Golden Eagles had an injured Jerel McNeal on the sidelines. MU was able to hold off each SJU rally and win the game, 76-67. Tonight, they will try and do the same.

Both teams match-up pretty well with each other. Both teams will use small, pass-first points guards in Malik Boothe (SJU) and Maurice Acker, who is replacing Dominic James. Versatile, do-everything wings in DJ Kennedy (SJU) and Wesley Mathews (MU) and go-to scorers Paris Horne (SJU) and Jerel McNeal (MU) will also line-up together. In the paint, SJU has a little more muscle and size with Sean Evans and Justin Burrell, but Lazar Hayward adds some offense and savvy rebounding for the Golden Eagles, who will also use a combination of Dwight Burke and forward Jimmy Butler in the post.

The injury to James has virtually eliminated any depth for Buzz Williams' team. David Cubillan, who was a valuable reserve under Tom Crean, has struggled this season coming off of shoulder surgeries in the off-season. Rob Thomas is the most productive reserve for SJU, but yesterday they went to their bench seldom, with two starters playing 40 minutes and two others playing 38. Only foul trouble on Burrell, which limited him to 25 minutes, made the bench useful.

McNeal, Mathews and Hayward are likely the best three players in this game and they will have to lead the Golden Eagles to victory in this game. SJU will scrap and claw their way into this game, but in the end, star power will win out on Broadway and Marquette settles down the fears and grabs a win.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Marquette 70
St. John's 64

BET GAME PREVIEW: ST. JOHN'S VS GEORGETOWN

March 10, 2009


For the second time in a week, Georgetown and St. John's meet at Madison Square Garden. The Hoyas will hope for a different result this time around after dropping a 59-56 overtime decision to the Redstorm after letting a double-difit second-half lead slip away. The game was a microgosm of the Hoya season that has gone so wrong the last two months.

St. John's is back in the Big East Tournament on their home floor at Madison Square Garden, although they will be in the road uniforms as the 13th-seed taking on No. 12 Georgetown.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on the game:

Norm Roberts, St. John's Back to Make Big East Tournament (NY Daily News)
St. John's Faces Georgetown in Big East Tournament (Newsday.com)
A Staggering Season (Washington Times)
Hoyas Hope for Big East Miracle (Washington Post)

In their loss a week ago to the Redstorm, Georgetown was outrebounded 54-31. It has been the theme all season as the Hoyas have been pummelled in the paint by Big East counterparts. What has made this so shocking was how the Big East season started, with Georgetown going into Connecticut and waxing the Huskies, 74-63. They played with passion, intensity and out-rebounded UConn solidly. After an offensive clinic in a win over Syracuse, the Hoyas were a top 10 team and nobody could foresee what was next...

Georgetown limps into the Big East Tournament after losing 10 of their last 14 games and seeing their 2009 NCAA Tournament hopes resort to Georgetown pulling off an improbably run of five wins in five nights against some of the toughest competition in America.

In their last 14 games, only one of the 10 losses came against teams in the top four of the Big East (Louisville) as they did not play either Pitt or UConn in that span. One of their wins was at Villanova, but they followed that win with a loss to St. John's. That is the Hoya season in the Big East.

St. John's will certainly enter the game this afternoon with some confidence, although they are still being shown little love by the oddsmakers who have listed the Hoyas as a solid 5 1/2-point favorite according to the early college basketball odds this morning.

In the win over GU on March 3rd, Paris Horne and Ron Thomas each had 16 points. The SJU defense kept the Hoyas in check all game, which is a common theme. Georgetown has not scored more than 58 points in a game in their last four outings.

With a traditional Big East rivalry and the 'home' team making their tourney experience, this game should have a little extra life to it. The Georgetown offensive struggles will make this one to watch as it is hard to see them putting much distance between themselves and the Redstorm, especially the way SJU will rebound and play with some life, something we are not sure Georgetown has much of left.

The talent on Georgetown should be enough to pull the game out, but it is likely to be a close game, again.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Georgetown 63
St. John's 59

IRISH SEASON SPOILED, ST. JOHN'S LOOKS TO SPOIL SENIOR NIGHT, TOO

March 6, 2009

St. John's at Notre Dame (-11 1/2) 7 PM.

(college basketball odds are provided by BetUS.com)

Here are some preview articles and links on the game:

Men's Basketball: Notre Dame (16-13, 7-10) vs. St. John's (15-15, 6-11) (Post-Tribune)
St. John's at Notre Dame (Chicago Tribune)
Notre Dame Hosts St. John's in Fightin Irish Home Finale (Chicago Tribune)
Irish Seniors Left With Regret, Happy Memories (Journal Gazette)
It is More than 'Just Another Game' (South Bend Tribune)

Notre Dame will be sending off seniors Ryan Ayers, Luke Zeller, Zach Hillesland and Kyle McAlarney tonight as the Fighting Irish look to avenge an earlier loss when they close up the regular season by hosting St. John's.

Despite the disappointment of Final Four expectations gone wrong, tonight is also a celebration of a group of players that helped the Irish to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances following their sophomore and junior seasons. With juniors Tory Jackson and the 2007-2008 Big East Player of the Year Luke Harangody returning from last year's NCAA team, expectations were sky-high, however, a seven-game losing streak and struggles all year getting defensive stops have pushed the Irish into the mix for the NIT, not the NCAA Tournament. The Irish would have to win an unprecendented five straight Big East Tournament games next week to win the Big East Tournament and get the conference automatic bid to the Big Dance.

St. John's has hung around this season. Sure, another losing Big East campaign under Norm Roberts has long been clinched, but the 'storm were dealt a bad hand right off the bat when their top player Anthony Mason Jr. was lost for the year before they finished their third game of the season. The blow was severe to the young team, but they have shown some grit and toughness along the way and enter tonight's regular season finale at 6-11 in conference play.

But, tonight will be about Notre Dame. The energy and emotion of senior night and the frustrations of a season gone wrong should translate to a rousing effort and a comfortable win for a grand send-off of the seniors.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Notre Dame 83
St. John's 67

ST. JOHN'S RALLIES TO EDGE GEORGETON IN OT

March 4, 2009


Even with their win over Villanova last weekend, an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament was a severe longshot for Georgetown. The Hoyas still might have had a chance with factors such as the #1 rated schedule in the country, road wins against UConn and 'Nova and a little momentum with expected wins over St. John's and DePaul heading into the 2009 Big East Tournament where anything could happen if the Hoyas picked off another win or two, which wouldn't have been that unheard of.

Instead, In the End, Hoyas Just Fade Away (Washington Post), blowing a 15-point second half lead as St. John's Rallies, Forces OT and Tops Georgetown (Newsday), 59-56, in front of nearly 10,000 fans at Madison Square Garden.

The Hoyas led 45-30 with 10:42 left in regulation before the Storm embarked on their comeback. Georgetown looked like they were going to run over SJU, racing away from a two-point lead at the half, 31-29, with an early run as the Redstorm seemed like they could not get out of their own way. The 21-6 run was completed with a pair of Rob Thomas free throws with 2.3 seconds left to force overtime.

The St. John's Comeback Stuns Georgetown (SNY.tv) and a Justin Burrell dunk with 10 seconds remianing in OT provided the final score as a DaJuan Summers desperation three-pointer was off the mark.

The Hoyas played without starting small forward Austin Freeman who suffered a hip-pointer in practice Monday. However, the major problem again was toughness as St. John's dominated Georgetown on the class, outrebounding the Hoyas 46-25.

Paris Horne and Rob Thomas each scored 16 points for SJU in the win and DJ Kennedy added nine points and 10 rebounds. SJU is now 6-11 in conference games and will finish the regular season with a visit to Notre Dame before returning home to Madison Square Garden to begin the 2009 Big East Tournament on Tuesday.

ST. JOHN'S LOOKS TO UPEND RIVAL HOYAS

March 3, 3009


It really is pretty far-fetched, but following a 56-54 road win at Villanova on Saturday, the Georgetown Hoyas Hold Out Hope (Washington Times) that their postseason chances have been resurrected.

With tonight's game against St. John's, on the road, and their regular season finale at home on Saturday against DePaul, they have a chance to pull out two more wins as they head for the 2009 Big East Tournament which begins in just one week.

At 6-10 in the conference, Georgetown has plenty of work and it might take a minir miracle of a run in the conference tournament for them to get any NCAA Tournament consideration.

The early college basketball odds list the Hoyas as a 6 1/2-point favorite to get the 7th conference win tonight when they meet the Redstorm. SJU is 5-11 in Big East play and also must travel to South Bend to meet Notre Dame before competing in the conference tournament.

There is no doubt the Hoyas have the more talented team. Players like Chris Wright, Austin Freeman and Greg Monroe were McDonald's All-Americans and DaJuan Summers has been on the NBA Draft watchlists since his strong play in the Hoyas' run to the Final Four as a freshman. NYC native Jesse Sapp, the lone scholarship senior on the Hoyas, will be returning home and determined to put a frustrating season behind him to get a win in front of many friends and family.

St. Johns' season was a disaster waiting to happen from the get-go as they lost Anthony Mason, Jr. for the season by just their third game. An extended absence because of injury to Malik Boothe did not help as conference play heated up and now back-up big man Ayodele Coker has been suspended for the rest of the season because of academics.

We keep waiting for the Hoyas to develop some sort of momentume, while it is looking like it may be too little, too late, they should head back to NYC in a week with a three-game win streak. Just like the NY Lottery commercials...'Hey, you never know..."


NBE Blogger Prediction:

Georgetown 67
St. John's 58