Chris Mullin renews respectful rivalry with Rutgers coach Eddie Jordan
St. John's head coach Chris Mullin speaks with guard Federico Mussini (4) during a timeout against UMBC at Carnesecca Arena in Queens, New York on Monday, Nov 16, 2015. Credit: Steven Ryan
When St. John's and Rutgers meet Thursday night at Carnesecca Arena as part of the Gavitt Games, matching the Big East against the Big Ten, it will be a reunion of sorts. Rutgers coach Eddie Jordan played and coached in the NBA before taking over as coach at his alma mater two seasons ago, and first-year Red Storm coach Chris Mullin, who is eight years younger than Jordan, followed the same path back to his alma mater after working as an NBA executive.
Mullin knows Jordan well but added that the connection between the two staffs goes a little deeper. "Mitch [Richmond, St. John's special assistant] and Eddie are really close," Mullin said. "Mitch played for Eddie in Sacramento. I know they're really tight.
"I know Eddie very well. I've got a lot of respect for him. He's a great guy. Similar backgrounds, going from NBA to college. I know [Rutgers assistant] Mike O'Koren is over there. I know Mike very well."
Playfully, Mullin suggested he and fellow Hall of Famer Richmond could take on Jordan and O'Koren in a game of two-on-two to decide the outcome, but when asked who would win, Mullin said, "I think all four of us would be in the hospital."
Instead, two young teams off to 2-0 starts will give each other their first real test of power conference competition. Jordan's team has a head start in terms of experience with junior forward Deshawn Freeman and sophs D.J. Foreman and Mike Williams to support freshman point guard Corey Sanders. But Mullin's freshman-dominated team has made remarkable strides since a 32-point exhibition loss to Division II St. Thomas Aquinas.
Graduate students Ron Mvouika and Durand Johnson have provided leadership, but freshman point guard Federico Mussini has shown he can be an offensive force and freshman center Yankuba Sima has been a defensive presence in the paint with his rebounding and shot-blocking.
Describing the approach he has taken with a team that returned only three reserves from last season, Mullin said, "We're building this thing one brick at a time. I bought a brand-new house once, and then, I built a house. There's a huge difference. The thing that's going to keep us grounded is we're building something one brick at a time."
The progress was evident in opening wins over Wagner and UMBC. In both games, the Red Storm turned tight games into comfortable wins with strong second-half performances. Mullin has been especially pleased with the execution on defense.
"Believe me, it's a long, tedious process, but when you do it with purpose, it's something you can enjoy and you can see the improvement," Mullin said. "I'm happy with the way they work, but there's some things we can't rush. We can't put 30 games in someone. We have to go through them together, and we're going to be better for it."
Greg Logan has worked for Newsday since 1982 covering a wide array of sports and events, currently including the Brooklyn Nets beat.
