St. John's looks to end NCAA Tournament drought in 2nd season under Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino
St. John's (20-13, 11-9 Big East)
A strong finish in Rick Pitino's debut season wasn't enough to earn an NCAA Tournament invite last March, as the Red Storm were snubbed on Selection Sunday along with several other Big East schools. But the once-powerful program took significant strides under the Hall of Fame coach, compiling its most conference wins since 2011 and reaching the Big East semifinals for the first time in 24 years. Graduate transfer Kadary Richmond, a first-team All-Big East pick with Seton Hall last season, highlights eight newcomers on a promising roster. St. John's sits just outside the Top 25 in The Associated Press preseason poll.
Players to watch
Richmond (6-6, 15.7 ppg). The multi-skilled guard from Brooklyn was rated the top player available in the transfer portal after leading Seton Hall to its first NIT championship since 1953. He averaged 7.0 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.2 steals per game in his third season with the Pirates after beginning his college career at Syracuse. He came to St. John's looking to improve his outside shooting and NBA prospects.
RJ Luis Jr. (junior, F, 6-7, 10.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg). The team's top returning scorer and rebounder, Luis is an athletic leaper. Pitino calls him one of the most physically talented players he's ever coached.
Zuby Ejiofor (junior, F, 6-9, 4.3 ppg). The big man averaged 3.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks over 11.3 minutes per game in a backup role last season after transferring from Kansas. He had 27 points and 13 rebounds in a 91-85 exhibition win at No. 25 Rutgers.
Departures and arrivals
The team's three leading scorers from last season and six of the top seven are gone. That includes point guard Daniss Jenkins, a second-team All-Big East performer who led St. John's in scoring (14.9 ppg), assists (5.4), steals (1.6) and minutes (30.7), and center Joel Soriano (13.8 ppg), the top rebounder at 9.5 boards per game.
Fifth-year senior point guard Deivon Smith transferred from Utah to team with returning sophomore Simeon Wilcher, a touted recruit, in the backcourt as Jenkins' replacements. Smith ranked sixth in the nation with 7.1 assists per game last season and his five triple-doubles were second-most during a single season in NCAA history.
An impressive group of transfers also includes 6-foot-7 swingman Aaron Scott from North Texas and 7-foot-1 center Vincent Iwuchukwu from Southern California. Brooklyn guard Jaiden Glover headlines the freshman class.
Top games
St. John's opens Nov. 4 against Fordham at home. Pitino faces his son, Richard, the coach at New Mexico, when the Lobos visit Madison Square Garden on Nov. 17. The Johnnies play No. 8 Baylor in the Bahamas on Nov. 21 and then No. 12 Tennessee or Virginia the following day. A Big East trip to No. 15 Creighton looms on New Year's Eve, and No. 3 UConn, the two-time defending national champion, comes to MSG on Feb. 23.
Facts and figures
St. John's hasn't made the NCAA Tournament since 2019 under coach Chris Mullin or won a game in the event since 2000. ... Pitino is trying to become the first coach to take six schools to the NCAAs. ... The Red Storm play eight times at Madison Square Garden before the Big East Tournament, including seven conference games. They host DePaul, Butler and Seton Hall on campus. ... New athletic director Ed Kull arrived from Fordham in September to replace Mike Cragg.
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