By Joseph Staszewski
The Big East tournament continues to be an unkind place for St. John’s.
The fifth-seeded Red Storm men’s basketball team was bounced in its first game for the fourth straight year with an ugly 74–57 loss to No. 4 Providence in the quarterfinals Thursday at Madison Square Garden.
St. John’s, which won the two regular season meetings, scored the first seven points of the game. It then went 10:05 without a basket in the first half and watched the Friars take a 28-11 lead with 7:17 to go before the break. The Red Storm pulled as close as eight twice early in the second the half, but never seriously threatened.
“For the most part after that 7-0 lead we had, the run that they went on, we were never really in contention,” St. John’s Coach Steve Lavin said.
Providence (22-10) beat the Johnnies in this same game and time slot last year. The Red Storm (21-11) has now not won a Big East tournament game since it topped Rutgers in the Lavin’s first season in 2011. St. John’s postseason record during Lavin’s tenure falls to 2-7 and 1-4 in Big East and the team’s seniors leave the school without a conference tournament victory. Lavin, who had one win in two Pac-10 tournaments at UCLA, took the blame for the team’s failings this time of year.
“I don’t think it’s them,” he said. “I’m a poor Big East – I’m a poor conference tournament coach.”
The difference this time around for the Red Storm is it is still considered a lock to make its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2011. The players want to put this defeat behind them and await Sunday’s NCAA selection show.
“We will see Sunday what happens, but it’s a good thing that it happened today and not if we make the tournament,” senior guard Jamal Branch said.
Rysheed Jordan, who did not start for the first time since Jan. 31, led St. John’s with 18 points. Phil Greene IV had nine points. Branch, Obekpa and Sir’Dominic Pointer each added seven. Branch earned the start over Jordan after being held out of St. John’s regular season finale because of a groin injury. Lavin pointed to practice and experience as the reason for the decision.
His team was plagued by poor shooting, connecting for just a 31 percent clip from the field and 28.6 percent from three-point range. The Johnnies missed 15 straight shots during the first half scoring drought. Providence, on the other hand, scorched the nets, especially before the break. The Friars made four of seven shots from the behind the arc and shot 57.1 percent from the field to help it to a 40-27 lead at the break. Providence, who was led by 20 points and 12 rebounds from LaDontae Henton, out rebounded the Johnnies 49-36. The Friars forced them to score in the half court.
“You can’t let St. John’s loose,” Providence coach Ed Cooley said “You let them loose, especially in this building, you’re in trouble.”
Trouble is exactly what winning in the Big East tournament has been for St. John’s and its seniors.
“Very disappointed,” Greene said. “We wanted to get one.”
