No. 17 St. John’s came into Big East conference play looking to recapture the regular season and tournament titles after winning both last season. But a showdown with the Providence Friars on Jan. 3 put a wrench in their plans.
After jumping out to an early 13-point lead, the Johnnies were poised to pick up their third win in conference play. But in came freshman Stefan Vaaks, who reignited the Friars’ offense with his three-point shooting. His 16 points brought Providence back into the game, en route to them upsetting St. John’s 77-71.
The crushing defeat took the Red Storm out of the AP Top 25. However, the Johnnies used this to turn their season around and make up for lost ground in the national rankings.
“It flipped a switch. We came in the next few days with a different mindset,” said senior Bryce Hopkins, who will be making his return to his former team.
This newfound approach helped St. John’s go on a 10-game win streak, including triumphs over Villanova and No. 4 UConn. This put the Red Storm back in contention for first place in the Big East, while Providence has slid to 4-10 in conference play.
“There’s gonna be a chip on my shoulder. I’m not looking to prove something or force an issue, playing through my teammates, playing good basketball, that’s something I pride myself on,” Hopkins said when asked about taking on his former team.
This second showdown, scheduled for Feb. 14 at Amica Mutual Pavilion, should make for a must-see matchup. The Red Storm are heavily favored to take down their rivals and even the season series in what should be an emotional game for Hopkins.
“He knows what to expect. He’s playing the best basketball of the season right now,” Rick Pitino said during a press conference at Carnesecca Arena on Feb. 12.
Hopkins has truly gotten into a groove over the course of this multi-game win streak, scoring in double figures in nine of his last 10 appearances. He receives a hefty amount of minutes alongside team captain Zuby Ejiofor, with both averaging more than 25 minutes of action.
“Being myself, we had a tough contest with Xavier, so we want to bring a different mindset in. We want to play through four minutes — not play for ourselves but for each other, and not overthink it,” Hopkins added.
Against the Musketeers, the Johnnies were on upset alert as their opponents forced overtime. Luckily, for the Red Storm, Ejiofor scored six points in the final five minutes. His performance gave them the edge in a decisive 87-82 triumph, due in large part to standout free-throw shooting.
“It starts with how physical the frontcourt is. Imposing our will and physicality, we’re as best as it gets to be as physical as possible,” Ejiofor said about his team’s ability to draw fouls at a consistent rate.
The Johnnies took 41 free throws against Xavier, making 68% of them. Against UConn, they did even better, making 71% of their 31 total attempts. They will need to do this again if they want to gain an edge over Providence, which commits 19.4 personal fouls per game.
“It’s an advantage as long as you have a good rating,” Pitino explained. “If you make 11 three’s and let up 11 three’s, it’s not an advantage. The key is getting fouled — not giving them up.”
Pitino’s team hasn’t only found success at the charity stripe. On the defensive side, they’ve been able to force multiple turnovers per game. This results in them scoring points at the other end with ease.
Ejiofor knows a thing or two about taking down the Friars, which the Red Storm were able to accomplish twice last season. The first win came off a game-winner from the senior big man at the buzzer, which silenced the Providence home crowd.
Another win over their rivals can help St. John’s submit its bid for the NCAA tournament. And they should be able to get it done, as the Friars have lost four times at home this season. Can the Johnnies make it a fifth, or will their opponents sweep the season series?
“The Big East has been a dogfight. When you get in a dogfight and win, it helps come tournament time because you’re used to it,” Pitino continued.
