9th Ranked St. Johns Reaches Elite Level, Has Game Moved To MSG

St. Johns is first in the Big East with a 21-4 record. The college basketball world is starting to take notice, as their home finale has been moved to Madison Square Garden.

Better Keep An Eye Out In March For St. Johns

The Red Storm have had an amazing season. In addition to their 21-4 record, they have gone 15-0 at home. The Johnnies are aiming for their first Big East regular-season title since 1992. That isn’t the end of their goals this season. Rick Pitino and company are eyeing a first March Madness appearance in six years. Their last tournament win came in 2000. There is a new energy being pumped into St. John’s basketball.

Everyone is starting to take notice as their home finale against Seton Hall has been moved to MSG. Their home court, Carnesecca Arena, holds 5,602, while MSG has a capacity of 19,812. That’s certainly a big jump, reserved only for special teams. St. John’s is one of those teams, and people better watch out for them in March.

When opponents face St. John’s, the Johnnies allow just 65.3 points per game, ranking 31st in the nation.

Defense is their calling card, which is also evident in their steals per game. With an aggressive defense, St. John’s is averaging 9.30 steals per game, ranking 13th in the country. Any team facing them must emphasize ball control and limiting turnovers.

Although St. John’s is known for their defense, they also have some offensive firepower. They are led by guard RJ Luis Jr., who averages 17.4 points per game.

They also have two other key players, Zuby Ejiofor and Kadary Richmond, who average 13.7 and 12.3 points per game, respectively. Notably, all of these players play over 30 minutes per game, which showcases how conditioned they are. The Johnnies are known for their defense but in March, they’ll need to score points to keep up with teams like Alabama and Florida.

How Will The Committee Value St. John’s Record?

Currently, St. Johns is projected as a five-seed in the tournament. Now that means they would go up against a 12-seed in the first round, a matchup that is historically known for upsets. Is St. Johns properly ranked as a five-seed? With their record being 21-4 and some marquee wins over Uconn and Marquette, there is a strong case for them to be ranked as a four or even a three-seed.

The only way that could happen is if they win out. As a five-seed, they would certainly be a tough matchup for any 12-seed. If they were ranked on the three or four lines, they could cause problems for their opponents offensively. It will be interesting to see what the committee decides and whether their seed changes in the upcoming week.

For now, St. Johns is locked into the five-seed and needs to be wary of facing a potential 12-seed in the first round of March Madness. St. Johns will certainly be a topic of conversation especially if they can make a deep run or even win the Big East tournament.

End Of My St. Johns Rant

The team no one wants to see in March is St. Johns. They have been playing great basketball all season. With their suffocating defensive and aggressive play, they can easily get teams off their game. The Johnnies are in a good spot as they are sitting in first place in the Big East. They have proven that they aren’t a team to mess with, and best of luck to whoever faces them in the first round. That team will certainly have their hands full with the Red Storm.