The matchup: St. John's vs. Gonzaga
St. John's Red Storm forward Justin Brownlee (32) reacts to the game action during the second half of the Big East Tournament Quarterfinal against the Syracuse Orange at Madison Square Garden. (March 10, 2011) Credit: Christopher Pasatieri
The St. John’s seniors are too young to remember it, but this game can be their chance for long-delayed retribution.
The Red Storm, seeded second in the 2000 NCAA Tournament, was ousted in the second round by 10th-seeded Gonzaga, 82-76, in Tuscon, Ariz. Thursday night, St. John’s will face the Bulldogs in the tournament for the first time since that crushing defeat.
After a midseason downswing, Gonzaga (24-9) closed out the regular season on a nine-game winning streak before topping conference rival St. Mary’s for the West Coast Conference Tournament title. But unlike the Bulldogs, who earned their 13th straight NCAA Tournament bid, this is new territory for the Red Storm.
Sixth-seeded St. John’s (21-11) is making its first NCAA appearance since 2002, which was vacated due to violations under former coach Mike Jarvis. Luckily for them, first-year coach Steve Lavin knows a thing or two about playing in the tournament.
The 11th-seeded Bulldogs, known for their defensive pressure and high shooting percentage, have postseason experience and are playing their best basketball coming into the tournament.
| LEADERS | ST. JOHN'S | GONZAGA |
|---|---|---|
| Points | 18.0 - Dwight Hardy | 13.8 - Steven Gray |
| Rebounds | 5.6 - D.J. Kennedy | 6.2 - Robert Sacre |
| Assists | 3.0 - Malik Boothe | 3.9 - Gray |
| STARTING LINEUPS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ST. JOHN'S | GONZAGA | ||
| F | Dwayne Polee Jr. | F | Elias Harris |
| F | Justin Brownlee | C | Robert Sacre |
| F | Sean Evans | G | Marquise Carter |
| G | Dwight Hardy | G | Steven Gray |
| G | Paris Horne | G | Demetri Goodson |
| ADVANTAGE: St. John's | |||
| Few college players can take over a game like Hardy, the team’s leading scorer and three-point threat (35.1 percent). The senior surpassed the 30-point mark four times in Big East regular-season play and scored 22 points in the Red Storm’s Big East Tournament quarterfinal loss to Syracuse. Gray (13.8 ppg) and the 7-foot Sacre (12.5 ppg) are Gonzaga’s go-to guys, with Harris chipping in. If the Bulldogs are able to work their inside-out game, the Red Storm will be in for a long night. | |||
| BENCH | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ST. JOHN'S | GONZAGA | ||
| G | Malik Boothe | G | David Stockton |
| G | Malik Stith | G | Mathis Keita |
| F | Justin Burrell | C | Sam Dower |
| F | Mangisto Arop | ||
| F | Mathis Monninghoff | ||
| F | Kelly Olynyk | ||
| ADVANTAGE: Gonzaga | |||
| The Bulldogs get the slight edge here because they have 11 players averaging 10 minutes or more a game. With the loss of D.J. Kennedy, St. John’s leading rebounder (5.6) and best defender, to an ACL injury, the Red Storm is down to just eight players who have averaged more than 10 minutes per game. Staying out of foul trouble will be key for St. John’s. | |||
THE X-FACTOR
St. John’s: Sean Evans
If Evans can use his 6-8, 260-pound frame to his advantage and step up in a big way in Kennedy’s absence, St. John’s will be in good shape.
Gonzaga: Marquise Carter
The 6-4 junior guard has made the most of his new starting position over the past month. He’s averaging only 5.9 points a game, but the Bulldogs are 14-0 when he scores more than that.
PREDICTIONS
Kimberley A. Martin: St. John’s
Gonzaga won’t be able to keep up with St. John’s athleticism and speed.
Greg Logan: St. John’s
Toughest game to pick in tournament, but even without D.J. Kennedy, Red Storm can overcome Gonzaga’s NCAA experience.
