The Johnnies shut down the Blue Demons’ three-point attack in a 89-61 conference-opening rout
St. John’s is in a prime position to contend for the conference title with a weakened Big East and gobs of talent on their roster. On Tuesday night, the Johnnies set the tone in their Big East opener on Tuesday night, stone-walling DePaul’s vaunted three-point shooting attack and running circles around the Blue Demons on the fastbreak to cap an 89-61 demolition derby.
Rick Pitino agonized over DePaul’s laser-accurate three-point shooting ahead of Tuesday night’s opener, but his anxieties weren’t validated. The Red Storm were quick on their switches and ran the Blue Demons off the three-point line. DePaul shot 30 percent from deep (6-of-20), their worst mark in a game this season.
“I was shocked — shocked is the only word. Our staff was sick over this game, we were preparing like it was the last game of the season because of the way [DePaul] shoots the ball, but we were brilliant tonight on defense,” Pitino said in Tuesday’s postgame press conference, “It was by far our best game of the season, at all phases of the game.”
St. John’s bucked a recent trend in suffering slow starts, then pulling ahead with a decisive second-half run by playing, in Rick Pitino’s words: “their second complete game of the season” (the other was against Virginia).
Instead, the Red Storm attacked in waves. They never trailed in Tuesday’s game and took a 40-29 halftime lead, then launched their patented second-half run to smother the Blue Demons. St. John’s expanded their lead to as much as 35 points with 6:33 left in the second half, at which point Rick Pitino called the dogs off. It could have been worse if the Red Storm made more than three triples and shot better than 12-of-21 from the free throw line (57%).
Deivon Smith made his first start since reacting poorly to a second-half benching against Georgia, and dazzled on both ends of the floor. Smith scored nine points, picked up six rebounds, dished eight assists, and picked up five steals, while also frustrating Blue Demons point guard Conor Enright at the point of attack.
“Deivon is not only very fast, but he’s a very smart young man,” Pitino said postgame. “He ignites you by rebounding the ball as well; he’s unselfish, and he gets out of the starting blocks on our breaks.”
Plaudits belong to several others as well. Kadary Richmond shook off a slow start and tallied 18 points and seven rebounds, Simeon Wilcher shot with endless poise by scoring 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field, and R.J. Luis again played with bullish intensity when attacking the rim to score 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting.
St. John’s has a quick turnaround as they will head up north to face the Providence Friars on Friday night in a hostile Amica Mutual Pavilion in their next matchup (8:00 p.m., FOX).