St. John’s is ready to test its luck in Las Vegas.
Rick Pitino’s Red Storm are set for their second major test of the season as they head to the Players Era Championship in Sin City, where at least two tough matchups await them.
No. 14 St. John’s is scheduled to play No. 16 Iowa State on Monday and undefeated Baylor on Tuesday at Michelob ULTRA Arena.
Should the Johnnies advance beyond the tournament’s first two days, they could face another NCAA heavyweight such as No. 2 Houston, No. 7 Michigan or No. 11 Alabama.
“Iowa State and Houston are as difficult to play against as any teams in basketball,” Pitino said Thursday night after defeating Bucknell, 97-49, at Carnesecca Arena. “Their defense and rebounding are relentless. It’s great for us to go against that competition.”
St. John’s, which began the season ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll, is 3-1, with the three victories coming in blowout fashion over Quinnipiac, William & Mary and Bucknell.
However, the Red Storm’s lone loss came against Alabama at Madison Square Garden in their only ranked matchup of the regular season thus far. The Johnnies’ backcourt struggled defensively against Alabama’s high-powered offense in that 103-96 defeat.
St. John’s also lost a preseason exhibition to Michigan at the Garden, 96-94 in overtime, in a game that it played to win.
“We’re a deep team with a great attitude,” said Pitino, who added a touted transfer class to a roster that brought back forward/center Zuby Ejiofor, the Big East’s preseason player of the year.
“Whether we go 3-0 or 2-1 [in Las Vegas], we’re not going to get too high or disappointed. We’re just going to keep playing and improving.”
The Players Era Championship is an 18-team tournament, but only four schools advance after the first two days. Point differential, points scored and points allowed decide the tiebreakers.
The championship game and the third-place game are both scheduled to take place on Wednesday.
Up first for St. John’s is an Iowa State team with the fifth-best defensive efficiency in the country, according to KenPom.
The Cyclones boast enviable continuity, as guard Tamin Lipsey and forwards Joshua Jefferson and Milan Momcilovic — the team’s three leading scorers — all returned from last season’s team.
Lipsey, a preseason All-Big 12 selection, is averaging 19.0 points, 5.8 assists and 3.8 steals per game, while the 6-9 Jefferson is averaging 18.8 points and a team-high 7.8 rebounds.
The Cyclones are 4-0, but Monday’s game against the Johnnies will be their first against a ranked opponent.
Baylor, meanwhile, is 3-0 but is also yet to face a ranked foe. Sophomore guard Cameron Carr, a projected second-round draft pick, is averaging 23.7 points per game to rank third in the Big 12.
The Big 12 coaches picked Iowa State to finish fifth and Baylor to finish seventh in the loaded conference.
“I’ve played in the Big 12 for three years. I can’t get away from it,” said St. John’s forward Dillon Mitchell, who previously played for Texas and Cincinnati.
“I know what it’s like to play Iowa State and Baylor. They’re physical and big, and I’ll be able to tell the guys what to expect.”
St. John’s went 31-5 last season, but it faces a much more difficult non-conference schedule this year as Pitino attempts to identify his team’s weaknesses early on.
Following the tournament in Las Vegas, St. John’s is set to face Chris Beard-led Ole Miss at the Garden on Dec. 6.
St. John’s is also scheduled to play No. 12 Kentucky at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Dec. 20.
“We have four new starters, so it takes time,” Pitino said. “We’re going to get better and better and better.”
