St. John’s basketball has season opener canceled, adds more games

The St. John’s basketball program had its season opener canceled and added more games to its schedule.

A major change hit the St. John’s basketball schedule as its season opening game against St. Francis College (Brooklyn) has been canceled.

The team announced the change in a press release and added a non-conference game against St. Bonaventure on December 22 which will be held at Carnesecca Arena at 2:00pm EST.

No reason for the game had been announced, although sources have said that COVID-19 is not a reason for the cancelation.

The Lady Johnnies were schedule to play on Wednesday, November 25 in what looked like to be a doubleheader with the men’s program who will play St. Peter’s on the same date.

ALSO READ: Early Big East schedule released for Lady Johnnies

St. Francis now will not play any non-conference games in the 2020-21 season and only play its scheduled games in the Northeast Conference.

St. John’s and head coach Joe Tartamella will now open the season on the road against Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday, November 28 at 2:00pm EST.

The Red Storm will still have four non-conference games in the 2020-21 campaign against Fairleigh Dickinson, St. Peter’s, Massachusetts, and St. Bonaventure with all games coming in Queens except for the Lady Johnnies’ trip to Amherst to face UMass.

St. John’s basketball expecting to be near top of Big East Conference

Following a season in which St. John’s finished in the semifinals of the Big East Tournament, those expectations are right back on the shoulders of the Lady Johnnies once more as the program was picked to finish as the 4th team in the conference.

ALSO READ: Lady Johnnies with large preseason expectations

UConn, DePaul, and Marquette were the three teams that were picked ahead of St. John’s in the Preseason Coaches Poll and the race seem like it is for second in the conference with the addition of the Huskies.

St. John’s will rely on Preseason All-Big East Selections Qadashah Hoppie and Leilani Correa to carry the load this season following its 19-12 (11-7 Big East) campaign.