Beating DePaul was anticipated for St. John’s, even with main scorer RJ Luis Jr. sidelined for the primary time this season on account of a groin harm.
On Sunday, the Tenth-ranked Purple Storm face considered one of their largest exams of the season once they oppose UConn — and having Luis obtainable probably might be way more vital for the sport at Madison Sq. Backyard in New York.
Luis had not been dominated out for the sport, and St. John’s coach Rick Pitino stated Friday stated the choice was as much as Luis because the Purple Storm try to finish a season sweep of the Huskies for the primary time since 1999-2000.
Luis, a Large East Participant of the Candidate, tops the Purple Storm (23-4, 14-2 Large East) with 17.6 factors per recreation, a determine that ranks fourth within the convention.
He scored 23 factors within the Purple Storm’s win over Creighton on Feb. 16 however was changed within the beginning lineup by Sadiku Ibine Ayo three days later. Ibine Ayo scored a career-high 15 factors as St. John’s cruised to an 82-58 win over the Blue Demons. Ibine Ayo would draw the beginning once more if Luis stays out.
“Every part takes time. We’re beginning to mesh nicely collectively, taking part in off one another,” St. John’s senior guard Kadary Richmond stated. “That is what it took, a while to get adjusted to one another.”
Devion Smith joined Ibine Ayo in shifting from the bench to the beginning lineup in opposition to DePaul, and he led the Purple Storm with 18 factors, his second-highest whole of the season. Smith had been coping with a neck harm that Pitino thought was going to sideline the guard indefinitely.
Richmond, who added 17 factors and 9 rebounds, is averaging 17.8 factors and eight.2 rebounds in his previous six video games, although Pitino stated the guard performed by the identical harm as Luis.
The Huskies (18-8, 10-5) had been handed a 68-62 dwelling loss by St. John’s on Feb. 7 after they blew an early 14-point lead. Luis capped a 21-point outing by hitting the clinching jumper with 11 seconds remaining.
UConn is 6-5 since profitable its first 4 Large East video games, although it owns highway wins over then-No. 9 Marquette and then-No. 24 Creighton in that span. The Huskies had been held to 70 factors or fewer in every of the previous 4 video games, most just lately being compelled to intestine out a 66-59 win over Villanova in Hartford on Tuesday.
Liam McNeeley scored 16 of his 20 factors after halftime in opposition to the Wildcats, together with 11 factors within the game-ending 27-6 run. McNeeley missed eight video games with a excessive ankle sprain and is averaging 21.8 factors in 4 video games since returning, together with an 18-point outing in opposition to St. John’s and a 38-point exhibiting at Creighton.
UConn’s Tarris Reed Jr. added 13 off the bench in opposition to Villanova after scoring a mixed three factors the earlier two video games. The Huskies received regardless of a quiet exhibiting from Alex Karaban (six factors), who’s 6 of 47 from 3-point vary in his previous 9 video games.
UConn obtained previous Villanova after taking a disappointing 69-68 additional time loss at Seton Corridor on Feb. 15 when it blew a seven-point lead within the last 36 seconds of regulation.
“The season was hanging within the stability for us (in opposition to Villanova),” Huskies coach Dan Hurley stated. “If we misplaced this recreation, going to play St. John’s within the Backyard over the weekend, that is positively going to impress us. With having some high-end wins, after which having some actually dangerous low ground moments, this staff’s gotta discover a option to end robust, go into the Large East event with nice momentum.”
–Area Stage Media