Even after loss in Big East opener, Tartamella finds opportunity for Red Storm

Joe Tartamella directs his St. John's team during Big East opener Sunday at Seton Hall. (Photo by Ray Floriani/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ -- He spent every bit of a half-hour speaking to his team, without berating or hollering.

Joe Tartamella simply wanted to go over a few points and remind his St. John’s team what it had to do to achieve consistency, after having just dropped its Big East Conference opener to Seton Hall, 77-67, Sunday afternoon. In many ways, this contest was a microcosm of the Red Storm season to date.

The loss at Seton Hall put the record at 7-5. For the first time this season, St. John’s dropped a second straight game, having previously lost at James Madison on December 21.

“We’ve been trying to find our way,” Tartamella said outside the Red Storm locker room. “We have to improve. Today, we started well out of the gate. The second period, we held our own. Looking at the first half, I was happy with how we played.”

At the break, the Red Storm led, 34-33. The second half proved to be a  completely different story, as St. John’s was outscored 23-14 in the third quarter, ultimately never recovering from that decisive stretch.

“We turned it over and they were able to get a few runouts in transition,” Tartamella reflected. On the afternoon Seton Hall had a 22-10 advantage in fast break points, 10-0 in the ill-fated third period. “We struggled. Looking at that, I was disappointed in how we played. We missed easy shots all day, as well as getting beat in transition.”

Rebounding at times has been a plus. The Red Storm has size with the likes of 6-foot-3 Curteeona Brelove and six-foot Qadashah Hoppie in the starting lineup. The issue, though, is consistency.

“We gave up 22 second chance points at James Madison.’ Tartamella said. “Then we outrebounded both UConn and Florida State.” The Red Storm lost the battle of the boards Sunday to Seton Hall, despite a 15-rebound performance by Kayla Charles.

On a day St.John’s shot just 36 percent from the floor, Tartamella admitted the offense needs improvement, and fast. For St.John’s, there is time to realize that elusive consistency, but not too much time, as the Red Storm hits the road next weekend to face Xavier and Butler before returning home on January 11 to host Providence.

To his credit, Tartamella does not bemoan the fate of opening conference play with three games away from home. Rather, it is an opportunity.

“We started out on the road last season,” he said. A year ago, St.John’s began the conference slate with tough losses at Marquette and DePaul en route to a 9-9 conference finish. “It really isn’t a big deal. League play always has you excited now, if you steal one or two on the road, you’re in that much better shape.”

Taking what many may construe a negative, Tartamella is utilizing the situation in a positive vein.

“On the road you have a chance to refocus. You actually have a better chance of being locked in.”  

And that is what St.John’s is looking to do. For every night, for 40 minutes.