Three keys to victory for St. John’s basketball against BYU
St. John’s basketball is looking to continue its winning ways against BYU on Wednesday evening.
Following a near blown 20-point lead, the St. John’s basketball (3-0) will look to remain perfect against BYU (3-1).
It was a slow beginning and ending for the Red Storm against Boston College, but the Johnnies were able to turn a 10-point deficit into a 20-point lead and the Eagles cut it all the way down to two but could not get any closer as Mike Anderson‘s team escaped with a 97-93 victory.
As for BYU, after a perfect start against bad competition, the Cougars were run out of the gym on Tuesday afternoon against Southern California, 79-53.
USC was able to hold BYU to 27.5-percent shooting from the field and 23.3-percent from 3-point range.
However, Mark Pope‘s team should have a clear advantage in the paint, lead by Purdue transfer, 7-foot-3 center Matt Haarms.
BYU as three players in its rotation close to 7-foot in addition to Haarms with 6-foot-11 forward Richard Harward and 6-foot-10 Wyatt Lowell.
ALSO READ: St. John’s steamrolls St. Peter’s with Big East play looming
Pope also has a trio of guards who can shoot the ball very efficiently from 3-point range, in Alex Barcello, Brandon Averette, and Connor Harding.
Neither player shot well against USC, a combined 4-of-24, but the ability is there to light up the scoreboard and it will be difficult for Mike Anderson and the Red Storm to try and contain.
St. John’s basketball still not fully healthy heading into fourth game
St. John’s will once again be without Rasheem Dunn (concussion) as he did not make the trip to Connecticut and continues to progress back in Queens.
The Johnnies did get back sophomore forward Julian Champagnie who poured in 29 points for the Red Storm in its victory over Boston College.
Before heading back to New York to face Stony Brook on Sunday, St. John’s will try and knock off the Preseason No. 2 team in the West Coast Conference, only behind the Gonzaga Bulldogs, who are ranked as the No. 1 team in the Associated Press Top-25.