By JP Pelzman
The most-hyped Seton Hall-St. John’s game since 2000 will be played Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. The teams are tied for third place in the Big East at 7-7 and, of course, the Red Storm still is smarting from the 76-74 loss to the Pirates at the Prudential Center. The loss came about because of a blown call by official Michael Stephens in the waning seconds, when he anticipated St. John’s L.J. Figueroa going out of bounds before he, you know, actually did.
Here are some takeaways, looking back at Seton Hall’s upset loss to Xavier on Wednesday night and ahead to the St. John’s game, already billed as “The Rematch” by the Big East.
Seton Hall must atone for what happened Wednesday. By losing to an inferior Xavier team, the Pirates made their potential road to the NCAA tournament much more difficult. As star Myles Powell said afterward, “We prepared for them to just roll over for us. In this league that just doesn't happen. … We all knew what was at stake and we have to do better.”
The Pirates could make up for that loss by sweeping the Red Storm. If they lose, they will be sitting on that defeat for a week until they resume play at Georgetown on March 2.
The atmosphere will be challenging. Besides all the hype, the game itself is close to being a sellout, with 18,000-plus fans expected to be in attendance. It also will be St. John’s Senior Night, even though the Red Storm will host Xavier at Carnesecca Arena next Thursday in their actual home finale. St. John’s players wanted to have Senior Night at The Garden, so that should add yet another layer of emotion for a team that already figures to be fired up. Seton Hall cannot afford a slow start.
Powell is not getting star treatment from the officials. Powell was knocked down hard to the floor by an Xavier player in a battle for a rebound on the Musketeers’ offensive end in the final minute, but there was no call. Coach Kevin Willard, who often has noted how Powell is grabbed and held on offense without there being a call, walked onto the court and had his arms outspread in disbelief at the lack of a foul on Xavier on that play.
When I asked Powell directly about it after the game, he said, “I’m not going to say anything. I don’t want to be portrayed as that player or that person that (complains). … It would have been two (foul) shots that probably would’ve determined the game but I guess the refs didn’t want to let it come down to that and they let us play basketball. We can’t just blame it on one play.”
Shamorie Ponds is playing through pain. After some pointed questioning, the slumping St. John’s guard finally admitted during a media session after Friday’s practice that his knees are banged up “a little bit.” Ponds, who didn’t seem to be in any obvious discomfort, said he hasn’t been able to get his usual lift on his shots recently.
“I feel like I’m not playing the type of basketball that I play, so I’ve got to turn it around,” he said. “I’m not blaming anything. Everybody goes through something (physically). I’m not putting all the blame on that, I’ve just got to go out there and hoop.”
Ponds, who is averaging 19.5 points, has totaled only 29 points in the last three games and is shooting 22.9 percent over that span. He shot 2-for-13 against The Hall in December.
The Red Storm are playing it cool, for now. Coach Chris Mullin and the two players who were interviewed, Ponds and Marvin Clark II, downplayed the controversial December loss.
Ponds said, “there’s nothing we can do about it. We just have to try to reverse it tomorrow night. … We’re motivated for every game. They beat us. That’s the only motivation we need.”
“For sure,” Clark said when asked if the controversial defeat meant more motivation, but he quickly added, “mostly it’s just (playing) Seton Hall. They’re right across the bridge. Those guys aren’t going to come in and just forfeit their season.
“We played them well, played them tight. Some things were out of our control at the end of the game. It’s over.”
That tune might change quickly if St. John's wins.
https://setonhall.rivals.com/
COMMENTS
The most-hyped Seton Hall-St. John’s game since 2000 will be played Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. The teams are tied for third place in the Big East at 7-7 and, of course, the Red Storm still is smarting from the 76-74 loss to the Pirates at the Prudential Center. The loss came about because of a blown call by official Michael Stephens in the waning seconds, when he anticipated St. John’s L.J. Figueroa going out of bounds before he, you know, actually did.
Here are some takeaways, looking back at Seton Hall’s upset loss to Xavier on Wednesday night and ahead to the St. John’s game, already billed as “The Rematch” by the Big East.
Seton Hall must atone for what happened Wednesday. By losing to an inferior Xavier team, the Pirates made their potential road to the NCAA tournament much more difficult. As star Myles Powell said afterward, “We prepared for them to just roll over for us. In this league that just doesn't happen. … We all knew what was at stake and we have to do better.”
The Pirates could make up for that loss by sweeping the Red Storm. If they lose, they will be sitting on that defeat for a week until they resume play at Georgetown on March 2.
The atmosphere will be challenging. Besides all the hype, the game itself is close to being a sellout, with 18,000-plus fans expected to be in attendance. It also will be St. John’s Senior Night, even though the Red Storm will host Xavier at Carnesecca Arena next Thursday in their actual home finale. St. John’s players wanted to have Senior Night at The Garden, so that should add yet another layer of emotion for a team that already figures to be fired up. Seton Hall cannot afford a slow start.
Powell is not getting star treatment from the officials. Powell was knocked down hard to the floor by an Xavier player in a battle for a rebound on the Musketeers’ offensive end in the final minute, but there was no call. Coach Kevin Willard, who often has noted how Powell is grabbed and held on offense without there being a call, walked onto the court and had his arms outspread in disbelief at the lack of a foul on Xavier on that play.
When I asked Powell directly about it after the game, he said, “I’m not going to say anything. I don’t want to be portrayed as that player or that person that (complains). … It would have been two (foul) shots that probably would’ve determined the game but I guess the refs didn’t want to let it come down to that and they let us play basketball. We can’t just blame it on one play.”
Shamorie Ponds is playing through pain. After some pointed questioning, the slumping St. John’s guard finally admitted during a media session after Friday’s practice that his knees are banged up “a little bit.” Ponds, who didn’t seem to be in any obvious discomfort, said he hasn’t been able to get his usual lift on his shots recently.
“I feel like I’m not playing the type of basketball that I play, so I’ve got to turn it around,” he said. “I’m not blaming anything. Everybody goes through something (physically). I’m not putting all the blame on that, I’ve just got to go out there and hoop.”
Ponds, who is averaging 19.5 points, has totaled only 29 points in the last three games and is shooting 22.9 percent over that span. He shot 2-for-13 against The Hall in December.
The Red Storm are playing it cool, for now. Coach Chris Mullin and the two players who were interviewed, Ponds and Marvin Clark II, downplayed the controversial December loss.
Ponds said, “there’s nothing we can do about it. We just have to try to reverse it tomorrow night. … We’re motivated for every game. They beat us. That’s the only motivation we need.”
“For sure,” Clark said when asked if the controversial defeat meant more motivation, but he quickly added, “mostly it’s just (playing) Seton Hall. They’re right across the bridge. Those guys aren’t going to come in and just forfeit their season.
“We played them well, played them tight. Some things were out of our control at the end of the game. It’s over.”
That tune might change quickly if St. John's wins.
https://setonhall.rivals.com/
COMMENTS
