Inside The Big East: St. John's

Already a hero in Queens, Steve Lavin's legendary status will grow even more if he gets St. John's back to NCAA Tournament. (Photo courtesy of New York Daily News)

Georgetown had their moment in the sun in the most recent piece of the Big East preview series, and following the Hoyas is a school that has beaten them on their home court in each of the last three meetings in New York.

St. John's Red Storm (2010-11 Record: 21-12, 12-6 Big East)

Head Coach: Steve Lavin (2nd season at STJ, 21-12; 166-90 overall)

Returning Starters: None

Key Returning Players: G Malik Stith (5-11 Jr., 3.3 PPG, 0.9 RPG, 36% FG, 74% FT)
Key Losses: G Dwight Hardy (18.3 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 45% FG, 35% 3pt, 85% FT, 1.9 APG, 1.3 SPG)
F Justin Brownlee (12.3 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 49% FG, 34% 3pt, 68% FT, 1.9 APG, 1.1 SPG)
F D.J. Kennedy (10.4 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 46% FG, 37% 3pt, 78% FT, 2.0 APG, 1.8 SPG)
G Paris Horne (7.9 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 45% FG, 38% 3pt, 62% FT, 1.6 APG)
F Justin Burrell (6.3 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 50% FG, 61% FT)
F Dwayne Polee (4.4 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 46% FG, 63% FT)
G Malik Boothe (4.1 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 42% FG, 71% FT, 2.9 APG)
F Sean Evans (3.6 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 49% FG, 59% FT)

Last season, St. John's was the national media darling, a program that returned to its past glory after a long hiatus. Following the transition from Mike Jarvis to Norm Roberts in which the public image of the Red Storm was restored to the positive state that fans of New York City's college team had come to enjoy over the years, Roberts was replaced in March of 2010 with former UCLA coach Steve Lavin, who had spent the prior seven years as an analyst with ESPN. Nevertheless, Lavin showed no sign of rust upon his return to the bench; and guided the Johnnies to a 21-12 campaign that was highlighted by the school's participation in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2002.

However, Lavin will need to start literally from scratch this season, as practically all of his team has graduated. St. John's had an unprecedented ten-member senior class last year, half of which are currently playing overseas. The losses of versatile combo guards Dwight Hardy and Paris Horne, coupled with the inside/outside productivity of swingmen Justin Brownlee and D.J. "The Hitman" Kennedy; not to mention the do-it-all mentality of reserve forward Justin Burrell and 5-9 point guard Malik Boothe will be difficult to cope with this season, even as Lavin welcomes one of the nation's best recruiting classes into Queens for what will be the youngest incarnation of Red Storm basketball in the program's long and storied history, which will open the books for its 104th season on November 7th.

Reserve guard Malik Stith, who played in 26 of the Johnnies' contests last season, now becomes the team leader by necessity as he enters his junior season. Stith has shown signs of promise, however; and was among the key figures early in the season for St. John's a year ago, with strong performances against St. Mary's and Columbia in both of the Red Storm's two opening contests. Stith and former walk-on Jamal White, now a scholarship student-athlete after all the seniors have graduated, are the only players Lavin has the pleasure of calling incumbents.

Only two returning players does not necessarily mean there is a shortage of talent. In fact, there is an abundance of it coming into Queens, led by local kid Maurice Harkless. A 6-8 forward who played his high school ball just a three-pointer away from St. John's at Forest Hills High School, Harkless decided to stay home with an opportunity to play the hero. He will be joined up front by bruising 6-9 junior college transfer God'sgift Achiuwa, who will have two years of eligibility remaining. Sir'Dominic Pointer, regarded at the prep level to be one of the best defenders in the country, completes the trio in the paint. Currently ineligible forward Amir Garrett and center Norvel Pelle could make their debuts as early as late December if they are cleared by the NCAA, which St. John's administrators are currently in the midst of working toward.

Joining Stith in the backcourt will be junior college transfer Nurideen Lindsey, a Philadelphia native entering his sophomore season. Lavin also picked up the signatures of two more coveted prospects in the offseason, as 6-3 shooting guard D'Angelo Harrison will help lead the charge. As a senior in high school last year, the Texan averaged over 31 points per game; and is known for his long-range prowess. Harrison will come to Queens alongside Phil Greene, a combo guard by way of Chicago who can run the point just as well as he can play off the ball.

After two exhibition games, the Red Storm will open the season earlier than usual by virtue of the team being selected to participate in the 2K Sports Classic. The Johnnies open on November 7th against William & Mary before welcoming Patriot League school Lehigh and America East member UMBC into Carnesecca Arena; and will make their Madison Square Garden debut in the 2K tournament against Sean Miller and Arizona on November 17th, with either Texas A&M or Mississippi State awaiting the following night.

St. John's welcomes a familiar face back home on November 22nd, as former Norm Roberts assistant Glenn Braica leads St. Francis College into Queens for the Terriers' first meeting with St. John's since December 1st, 2008. The St. Francis matchup could be intriguing, since the Terriers not only defeated St. John's on the night where Alumni Hall was officially christened Carnesecca Arena back in 2004; but have also taken the Red Storm to the limit in both of their last two collisions, losing each game by just eight points. Northeastern comes into Carnesecca on November 26th before the Johnnies hit the road, first to Kentucky to face John Calipari and the Wildcats in the SEC/Big East Challenge; and then to Detroit to take on the Titans on a night where their home court will be renamed in honor of Dick Vitale.

After a break for finals, St. John's returns to the Garden to play Fordham in the Holiday Festival, which is now a one-day tournament. The Johnnies next play host to Texas-Pan Am at Carnesecca Arena on December 21st before opening their Big East season on campus against Providence six days later, and closing 2011 on New Year's Eve in Hartford against Connecticut. The Huskies will be without the services of coach Jim Calhoun for that game, as the Hall of Famer will be serving an NCAA-imposed suspension for UConn's first three conference contests.

St. John's will open 2012 on January 3rd at the Garden against Louisville before a Midwest swing that features the front end of a home-and-home series against Cincinnati; as well as a clash with Marquette at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, where the Red Storm defeated Buzz Williams' team last year to pick up their first win against the Golden Eagles in over 45 years. The Johnnies come home after that for the front end of a home-and-home series with Georgetown at Madison Square Garden on January 15th, with a trip to South Florida serving as the precursor to two Garden parties against Villanova and West Virginia, respectively.

The Red Storm were the last non-ACC team to defeat Duke at home when the squad led by Erick Barkley and Bootsy Thornton did it back in 2000, and this year's unit will get the opportunity to do the same when the Blue Devils play host to Lavin and company on January 28th at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham. DePaul will be up next for the Johnnies on February 1st in Illinois for the front end of a home-and-home matchup, with St. John's returning to the Garden after that for meetings with Syracuse and Cincinnati. Two road games will await the Red Storm after that, as Georgetown welcomes the boys from Queens into the Verizon Center before St. John's heads back up Interstate 95 to face Seton Hall in Newark. The Johnnies' final nonconference game of the season takes place at Madison Square Garden on February 18th against Pac-12 favorite UCLA in what has become a personal rivalry given Lavin's seven-year tenure on the sidelines in Westwood.

St. John's final two home games come at Carnesecca Arena against DePaul in what will be just the second Big East game on campus this season, and at Madison Square Garden on February 25th against Notre Dame, who has been defeated by the Red Storm in each of their last two meetings at the "World's Most Famous Arena." A trip to the Petersen Center to collide with Pittsburgh closes out February for the Red Storm before invading the RAC on March 3rd for their final regular season contest, which comes against Mike Rice and Rutgers in what will be the first battle with the Scarlet Knights since last March's controversial Big East tournament matchup in which Justin Brownlee stepped out of bounds before time expired, but was not called by officials.