The performance was strong. The result was disheartening. Unfortunately, it was representative of the Big East season so far for St. John’s.
There have been bright spots that too often have been followed by disappointment, but also a realization the Red Storm were picked to finish last in the Big East for a reason. As coach Mike Anderson has frequently said, their margin for error is small.
That was obvious Saturday afternoon at the Garden. The Johnnies performed about as well as they can. They forced 19 turnovers. They got 34 combined points from previously struggling stars LJ Figueroa and Mustapha Heron. They out-scored No. 18 Seton Hall in the paint, in transition and off the bench. Ultimately, though, the Pirates had the best player on the floor — and one of the top players in the country — and that’s what mattered when the clock hit triple zeroes and the school from New Jersey had survived, 82-79, to win its eighth straight game.
“Their guys made the plays at the right time,” Anderson said. “I told our guys I was proud of the effort. [I’m] not into moral victories. We lost a game at home, and that’s something that’s got to hurt.”
Myles Powell, a National Player of the Year candidate, scored 23 of his 29 points after halftime, rallying Seton Hall (14-4, 6-0) from a 13-point deficit, and surpassing 2,000 points for his memorable career. He made the biggest play of the game, drawing the fifth-and-final foul on Figueroa with 1:37 left, making the basket and free throw to put the Pirates up two. His layup with 28.8 seconds to go extended the lead to three, and St. John’s was unable to get off a good look in the last seconds, as Marcellus Earlington’s heave failed to draw iron.
When Heron was asked about his final shot attempt, which came with 5:57 left, Anderson stepped in, unhappy with the question while admitting he would’ve liked his senior to get the ball more down the stretch.
“I think that’s something we’re going to work on, in terms of trying to get it to him,” Anderson said. “I think Seton Hall thought that, too.”
It was a wild back-and-forth contest that saw eight ties and nine lead changes, mostly in the final minutes. From Heron’s 18-point performance to Figueroa’s 16-point, seven-steal, five-rebound effort and Josh Roberts’ 16-point, eight-rebound showing, a lot went right for the Johnnies (12-7, 1-5). Their pressure defense created 15 first-half turnovers, giving Seton Hall fits, and they shot a personal Big East-best 44 percent from the field, assisting on 20 of 33 made baskets. Powell managed just six points over the first 20 minutes.
“I think as a competitor, it’s frustrating. But you’ve got to look at the mistakes you’ve made,” Heron said. “We had a couple of turnovers late in the second half and then we missed free throws. We always talk about turnovers and free throws being the telltale of all of our games, so that’s what we’ve got to go work on.”
It was reminiscent of the performances in impressive wins over No. 12 West Virginia and Pac-12 contender Arizona, and the near-comeback victory against No. 5 Butler. But it was also a reminder of the limitations of this team. Once Seton Hall began to cut down on its turnovers (just four after halftime), it quickly erased the big halftime deficit. When it became a half-court game, St. John’s struggled to get good looks. Powell had his way in the second half, in part due to his brilliance, but also as a result of some missed assignments.
“You’re looking at a pro, and I can’t say it enough, the best player in college basketball,” Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard said.
St. John’s responded to losing the lead, just as it has responded to tough defeats, with strong efforts. In the end, it wasn’t enough. The same can be said of St. John’s performance through one-third of the league season.
Willard said power forward Sandro Mamukelashvili (fractured right wrist) is on track to return Jan. 29 against DePaul at home. He has been out since Dec. 8.