OMAHA, Neb. — These seven days stuck out in August when the St. John’s schedule was released, even more so than the soft non-conference slate.
Trips to Creighton, Duke and Marquette marked by far the toughest stretch of the season — three games against tough opponents in daunting venues in the span of a week. At least in August, the thinking was St. John’s could survive a few rough games, because of the winnable contests before and after the road trip.
However, few expected this talent-laden team to need these games to right itself, to avoid this season of high expectations to come crashing 💞down. But that’s the reality for the skidding Red Storm, who enter Wednesday n🔜ight’s clash against Creighton at typically full and loud CHI Health Center Omaha having lost two straight and four of five games, to fall into the Big East basement.
“I think they’re excited,” St. John’s coach Chris Mullin said in a phone interview, when asked to describe his team’s mindset entering this all-imไportant week. “They know they’ve misse✱d out on some opportunities, especially on Sunday. We want to redeem ourselves.”
It will not be easy. After meeting improving Creighton, which St. John’s has never defeated on the road in seven tries, it has to deal with Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett and second-ranked Duke on Saturday at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Three days later comes a visit to Milwaukee and No. 10 Marquette, which is undefeated at home and will be looking for revenge froꦛm a New Year’s Day blowout loss to the Johnnies.
Even more worrisome is the inconsistency of St. John’s (15-5, 3-5 Big East), which dug itself deep holes in recent losses to Butler and Georgetown. While Mullin said he doesn’t believe this season has hit a crossroads, after the loss to the Hoyas on Sunday, his playꦑers seemed to indicate otherwise.
Mustapha 𝔉Heron said, “We kind of went through the motions in the first half🧔.”
Shamorie Ponds said, “As a team we aren’t as together🅺 as we were in the be🔯ginning.”
A🃏nd the performance seemed to match those comments as the Johnnies allowed Georgetown to shoot 48 percent from 3-☂point range, and failed to cash in on 19 Hoyas turnover.
“The last game we were a little casual, [there were too many] one-hand passes. There are a lot of things we can clean up,” Mullin said. “Getting back to fun🌠da🌠mentals, just really trying to be solid across the board, [is our focus].”
Th🦋at would be a start. Anything other than the status quo is desperatꦏely needed.