`The phrase "graduate transfer" has become an
important part of the lexicon of college sports in recent seasons, particularly
it seems in men's basketball. The term describes players who have completed
undergraduate degrees and have playing eligibility remaining. For programs like
St. John's, building under new coach Chris Mullin, they become important
players because they lend experience and can help a young core understand how
to compete at the college level.
Last
night St. John's two graduate transfers, Durand Johnson from Pittsburgh, and
Ron Mvouika from Missouri State played pivotal roles in helping the Red Storm
to a 75-53 win over UMBC last night
They
combined with freshman Federico Mussini, who had a second straight outstanding
game with 18 points and 6 assists. The Red Storm used a terrific defensive
effort to carve out a 9 point halftime advantage but the aptly named Retrievers used a terrific rebounding effort and timely 3
point shooting to pull to within 33-31 with just over 17 minutes left. That's
when Johnson connected on three straight baskets and started St. John's on a
14-6 run that extended St. John's advantage to 47-37 and they never looked
back. Johnson finished with 15 points and credited some timely advice from
Mvouika for his hot second half shooting, "He told me to let go of the
first half and just play my game", Johnson said of his fellow grad student
teammate who showed off some hot shooting of his own with 16 points including
4-4 from 3 point distance. Freshman center Yankuba Sima had 5 of 11 blocked
shots for St. John's and lead a defense that held former Manhattan Center
HS standout Aki Thomas' squad to 27%
shooting.
St. John's next faces local Big Ten
rival Rutgers Carnesecca Arena on Thursday as part of the Big Ten Big East
Challenge that will honor the Big East's late founder and first commissioner
Dave Gavitt.
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