St. John's 82-60 win over Georgetown at Madison Square
Garden last night was both important and impressive on a few different levels.
It was impressive because they held
and maintained a double digit margin from nearly start to finish after starting
the game with a 15-0 run. It was impressive also because they avenged a 77-60
New Year's Eve loss to open league play . And perhaps the most impressive
aspect was that they were able to attack the Hoyas right at their strength; in
the backcourt.
Freshman Rysheed Jordan and junior D'angelo Harrison
shared game high scoring honors with 24 points apiece and thoroughly
dominated a Hoyas' backcourt that many
consider the league's most explosive.
Markel Starkes mad D'vonte Smith-Rivera combined for just 29 [points and
hit just 10 of 25 shots.
Jordan kicked off what would become
a festive evening for St. John's fans. He was the catalyst for the 15-0 spurt
that opened and may have ultimately decided the game. He scored the game's
first 7 points, assisted on a JaKarr
Sampson basket and, following a Harrison triple, finished the rally with a
steal and layup.
The Hoyas would make a couple of
runs thanks to Jabril Trawick who finished with 13 points. They pulled to
within 56-49 with 10:45 when Harrison stepped into and buried a straight away
trey to give help St. John's regain a double digit advantage. And when
Georgetown made a second run the two guards were money from the free throw
stripe. Harrison shat a perfect 8-8 for the game.
All those
elements made the win impressive but it was also important. It lifted the Johnnies to 7-6 in
league play, and let them begin in the best way possible a home stretch that
will break a logjam of 5 teams in the middle of the Big East standings of teams
that are battling for two or perhaps three spots in the NCAA tournament. Games
against Xavier and at Marquette, like tonight's win, afford the Red Storm an
opportunity for wins against teams in front of them in the standings and it was
perhaps with that in mind that coach Steve Lavin had this reminder for his
team. "We haven't accomplished anything yet." And while that may be
true, the team has won 7 of its last 8 and finds itself nearly out of the 0-6
hole they dug for themselves to start the season. The play of the two guards was
indeed the most impressive aspect of this win, and perhaps this stretch of
games. It may prove to be the most important aspect heading into tournament
play because those games, are controlled by guards and the pair wearing red and
white are playing as well as any in the conference, and perhaps the country.
No comments:
Post a Comment