Harrison's Clutch Play Gives Defensive St. John's just enough for a win Vs. Creighton

You could almost hear the frustration in Creighton coach Greg McDermott's voice when the subject of post game questioning  turned to D'angelo Harrison's go-ahead basket with 2:09 left in St. John's 70-65 win over the 12th ranked Blue Jays at MSG.  The Jays had taken a 63-62 lead when Austin Chatman converted the second of two free throws. A moment later, as coach McDermott said with just a hint of consternation,"....Harrison makes a three off of one pass".

              Coach McDermott's apparent testiness was understandable because Harrison's basket seemed an anomaly in a game that had been a defensive struggle in the second half. It was also a game where Creighton seemed to be at the end of their playbook finding ways to get playbook finding ways to get consensus national player of the year candidate  Doug McDermott the ball in scoring position.

              McDermott had gotten off to a quick first half start thanks to great movement without the ball on his part and great movement of the ball by his teammates. But according to coach McDermott the quick start on offense may have had a negative affect because as he said "it may have made us a little lax defensively". Again the coach's frustration was well placed as St. John's led 40-36 at intermission.

              From there the game was more typical of the old school Big East games For the game there were 11 ties and 9 lead changes. And St. John's held McDermott in check not by lowering his shooting percentage (10-18 from the floor) but by limiting his touches in scoring position. Dougie McBuckets did not get a shot off for a bit more than 8:30 minutes to end the game.  The combination of Sir'Dominic Pointer, who challenged him with diligence and JaKar Sampson, who challenged him with length did a superb job against McDermott and, as Pointer suggested gave  someone besides McDermott a chance to beat them.
              Harrison's clutch shot was part  of a 19 point effort that included that clutch shot and 9-10 from the free throw line. As coach Lavin spoke about how Harrison thrives in those clutch moments one could not help but think that a great college basketball game simply came down to one team's ability to take a star away and one star's ability to escape the game's ebb and flow to get and make a clutch shot.

              With the win, St. John's first against a ranked opponent this season, they're now 5-6 in league play with a game Thursday at Seton Hall and a rematch against another Big East bubble team Georgetown. It's been a long climb out of the hole they dug for themselves but for St. John's  last night's win could mark a turning point that lifts them to an NCAA bid. Welcome to "pre March Madness" it will be a blast.