St. John’s falters down stretch in crushing loss to No. 15 Providence

Posh Alexander (No. 0) has some phrases with some Windfall gamers throughout St. John's 86-82 loss.
Robert Sabo

Jared Bynum stood deep on the left wing Tuesday night time as the gang roared at full throat.

St. John’s had a one-point lead, and all of the momentum, with simply over three minutes left versus No. 15 Windfall. Posh Alexander had taken over once more for the Purple Storm, attending to wherever he wished to on the ground.

The shot clock was winding down and Bynum rose up. The guard launched a 3-pointer from what felt like Union Turnpike. It hit nothing however internet. The biggest Carnesecca Area crowd of the season went silent, as if the followers knew that was it.

And it was, because the Purple Storm didn’t have a solution for Bynum’s shot. Three turnovers adopted and a gut-punch of an 86-82 loss to the Friars was the consequence, one other maddening defeat in a season stuffed with them. It was simply the newest instance that this St. John’s season can be like so many others: Filled with disappointment.

“We’re virtually, however you'll be able to’t hold being virtually,” coach Mike Anderson stated after his workforce misplaced for the sixth time in eight video games. “We acquired to make that step to recover from the hump. … Belief me, nobody feels worse once we lose a recreation than myself. I put stress on myself, and our guys as nicely.”

Windfall’s Jared Bynum loses the ball throughout St. John’s loss.

AP

This season was alleged to be completely different. St. John’s was deeper and greater and was returning two all-league gamers: Alexander and Julian Champagnie. The NCAA Match was the expectation. A sensible aim was a match win for the primary since 2000.

That appears like a fantasy now.

Posh Alexander, who scored 29 factors, goes up for a layup throughout St. John’s loss.

Robert Sabo

By means of 20 video games, St. John’s (11-9) is barely over .500. The Purple Storm are 3-6 within the Large East and 3-9 in opposition to power-conference opponents. Anderson’s streak of 19 seasons of .500 or higher may be very a lot unsure.

Tuesday was like so many different nights in what's wanting increasingly more like a misplaced season, when the Purple Storm’s greatest simply isn’t adequate. When little issues — poor free-throw taking pictures, lack of well timed defensive rebounding and ill-timed turnovers — stop them from beating a top quality opponent. 4 losses by six factors or fewer, not counting the time beyond regulation setback at Connecticut on Jan. 12, when one defensive cease (or defensive rebound) on the finish of regulation would’ve produced a large win.

“It’s simply unhealthy decision-making we make down the road,” stated Alexander, who was good in opposition to the Friars, notching 29 factors, 12 assists and 5 rebounds.

It was extra of the identical in opposition to Windfall (19-2, 9-1). After St. John’s went forward on an Alexander basket with 3:34 to go, three consecutive turnovers took the air out of the constructing. Champagnie, nonetheless within the midst of a deep taking pictures stoop together with his fourth consecutive single-digit scoring effort, couldn’t deal with a cross by the sideline. Alexander threw a ball away. Esahia Nyiwe dedicated a shifting display. St. John’s couldn’t get stops on the opposite finish, as Windfall executed on the opposite finish.

Then there was the free-throw line and the brutal end to the primary half. St. John’s was 4-for-11 within the recreation from the charity stripe, a season-long downside. Windfall hit 27 of its 33 free-throw makes an attempt, together with 4 in a row by Al Durham within the closing 11.8 seconds to ice the victory.

“We all the time discuss: It’s the little issues that add as much as profitable,” Anderson stated.

On the finish of the opening half, the Purple Storm had been down 5 and had possession with 6.2 seconds left. However a turnover on an inbound cross, and a poor determination by Alexander — he fouled Bynum trying a 3-pointer with 0.8 seconds to go — led to an eight-point deficit on the break. It was harking back to the slim dwelling loss on the Backyard to Seton Corridor, when a turnover led to a made 3-pointer on the buzzer.

“The worst-case situation you need to go in down 5,” Anderson stated. “We didn’t do an excellent job of getting the ball in. … We had the play to get the ball in. Not solely that, we had timeouts.”

There have been so many what-ifs — not simply Tuesday night time, however all season, which has been unfolding the identical as so many others during the last twenty years.