Mike Anderson and St. John's misplaced to DePaul on Sunday.
Corey Sipkin
Any hope of a late-season NCAA Event run evaporated in Wednesday’s loss to Creighton, and St. John’s carried out like a staff who knew it Sunday in Chicago.
Protection was optionally available. The offense was inconsistent at greatest. The substitution patterns have been odd. And the end result was predictable.
St. John’s misplaced to longtime Massive East punching bag DePaul, 99-94, to fall to only two video games over .500 and clinch a sub-.500 Massive East report. Overlook the NCAA Event. The NIT is beginning to appear much less possible for a staff that started the yr with such excessive aspirations and is now 3-12 in Quad 1 and a couple of video games.
Mike Anderson’s report of by no means having a dropping season in 20 years as a Division I head coach is now in jeopardy, as St. John’s (15-13, 7-10 Massive East) closes the common season towards Xavier and Marquette earlier than taking part in within the out-bracket spherical of the Massive East Event. Extra regarding is the underperformance of this staff that was purported to make the NCAA Event, however isn’t anyplace shut.
“It simply appeared like we have been a step gradual with a few of our defensive assignments,” Anderson stated over Zoom, as St. John’s fell to 3-6 in video games determined by 5 factors or much less and now can’t end increased than seventh within the Massive East. “I believed we sort of broke down defensively.”
After trying like they'd turned the nook, profitable 4 of six video games, the Johnnies have slid backwards. They couldn’t get by Creighton in Queens on Wednesday regardless of its level guard, Ryan Nembhard, breaking his wrist halfway by means of the second half, and the Pink Storm carried out even worse on Sunday.
DePaul (14-14, 5-13) shot a blistering 55 % from the sector. At occasions, it felt like a layup line for the Blue Demons. The stress protection had little affect, resulting in run-outs and harming the Johnnies greater than serving to them. DePaul had 21 factors in transition and the Pink Storm solely had 12 factors off 15 Blue Demons turnovers. St. John’s repeatedly misplaced monitor of high scorer Javon Freeman-Liberty, who buried them for 39 factors and hit 5 3-pointers.
“I simply thought our man-to-man was not ok,” Anderson stated. “They have been getting deep within the paint. You allow them to get deep within the paint, they’re going to make one thing occur.
“Our protection has received to be higher.”
Julian Champagnie led St. John’s with 26 factors, however he was inefficient, capturing 10 of 27 from the sector and lacking 10 of his first 12 photographs. Posh Alexander, who surprisingly didn’t begin both half, added 18 factors and 4 assists. Aaron Wheeler had 20. He began red-hot, hitting his first three photographs, however then was taken out and sat for the following 7:37 as Anderson went 10-deep earlier than the second media timeout.
Requested about Alexander, Anderson known as it a “coach’s resolution.” That's the third time this yr the star level guard hasn’t began for that acknowledged motive. Stef Smith received the nod in Alexander’s place. This was one other sport when Anderson went to lineups he hadn’t used earlier than. Down the stretch, Smith and Tareq Coburn have been inserted. It labored considerably.
St. John’s had possibilities late regardless of trailing by 10 with 5:37 left, however couldn’t get key stops and missed 4 necessary free throws — two apiece by Wheeler and Coburn — a season-long concern. Total, it was 13 of twenty-two on the line and made solely 19 of 39 layups, two shortcomings which have contributed to the staff’s struggles in shut video games.
“We had alternatives,” Anderson stated. “We missed numerous layups, missed numerous free throws. Had a chance to swing the sport a unique method.”
It didn’t occur. It hasn’t occurred far too incessantly this yr.
Beginning middle Joel Soriano missed his second straight sport as a result of a left knee contusion.
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