St. John’s overcomes sluggish start, pounds Harvard in non-conference finale

Ian Jackson was one of three St. John’s players with 14 points as Red Storm won non-conference finale against Harvard. (Photo by St. John’s Athletics)

By Jason Dimaio (@Jaydimaio)

NEW YORK — Three days removed from perhaps its most disappointing game of the season to date, St. John’s was unable to shake off the rust in the opening minutes of its final non-conference matchup Tuesday.

After a second half against Kentucky that the Red Storm would love to forget, St. John’s allowed Harvard to score on its first five possessions, opening up an early 13-5 lead.

Ian Jackson made sure the adversity was short-lived.

The North Carolina transfer showed signs of life on both ends of the ball, knocking down two early threes to get the wheels turning. The sophomore’s on-ball defense improved as well, as he was a key cog in the Johnnies’ late first-half run, a 20-2 blitz that turned a five-point deficit into a 13-point lead, and eventually, an 85-59 win over the visiting Crimson at Carnesecca Arena.

“Ian is improving every day,” head coach Rick Pitino remarked as Jackson’s 14 points were complemented by zero turnovers. “He’s cut down on his turnovers. The last hurdle is learning to embrace contact on the glass.”

“Can you get a tough girlfriend or something to beat you up?” Pitino jokingly quipped to his sophomore guard.

The other prominent conundrum that St. John’s (8-4, 1-0 Big East) has faced was the lack of impact of

Bryce Hopkins. That took a step in the right direction Tuesday, as the senior matched Jackson on the scoreboard with 14 points, also adding three rebounds and four assists.

Hopkins looked much more comfortable and involved in the Red Storm offense, backing down defenders and crashing harder for offensive boards. The former all-Big East big man has been aware of the criticism he’s received so far, and has made sure to take it with grace through his first months with the Johnnies.

Bryce Hopkins responded to criticism Tuesday, scoring 14 points and looking more comfortable in St. John’s offense. (Photo by St. John’s Athletics)

“That’s why I came here,” he replied when asked about his critiques. “I knew it wouldn’t be easy. Coach P is a legend in the game, and I came here to be pushed. Whatever he expects from me, I’m going to do it to the best of my ability.”

While Pitino has made his thoughts public on how Hopkins has struggled so far, the Hall of Fame coach also reiterated his confidence in the senior Tuesday.

“Bryce is highly intelligent,” he said. “When you come off an injury and you’re not used to playing, it takes time to get back into action. He will get it. I don’t doubt it.”

Hopkins, Jackson and Zuby Ejiofor tied the team high with 14 points each, while Joson Sanon added 10 points as the Johnnies went on to a non-competitive second half in their final tuneup before returning to Big East play.

St. John’s will have eight days off before their next contest, on New Year’s Eve at Georgetown. And while some naysayers have dismissed the Red Storm for lacking a signature victory in the non-league portion of its schedule, its leader quickly dispelled the notion that he has an underachieving squad.

“We do not panic,” Pitino boldly declared. “We do not pay any attention to any nonsense about where we are as a team. We’re just trying to get better each day. We know that by March, we believe we’ll be a good basketball team. We still have a long way to go and a lot of growth to make, but we’re growing.”

“You can be disappointed that you lose a game, but I have not been disappointed one day with these guys, because they give me 100 percent in practice. They play hard.”