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St. John’s basketball humbled by No. 8 Villanova in blowout loss

By Kevin Connelly

St. John's basketball guard Dylan Addae-Wusu (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
St. John's basketball guard Dylan Addae-Wusu (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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St. John’s basketball was humbled by No. 8 Villanova in a blowout loss. 

After wins in eight of ten games, the St. John’s basketball team has reverted into the version of itself it showed in January.

A head-scratching loss to lowly DePaul and home followed by a blowout on the road against No. 8 Villanova (15-3, 10-2 Big East) and the chances of the Johnnies (14-10, 8-9 Big East) earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament have all but evaporated.

In the first meeting between the two teams, a 70-59 victory for the Red Storm, senior point guard Collin Gillespie had just four points and six turnovers on 2-of-12 shooting.

Gillespie ended the first half with 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting and just one giveaway.

Caleb Daniels, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Jermaine Samuels, and Gillespie all reached double-figures for Villanova.

St. John’s was just 9-of-31 from the field and 2-of-13 from three-point range in the first half and things didn’t get much better as the Johnnies shot 36.2-percent from the floor and 13.0-percent from deep in its 81-58 loss.

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The Johnnies trailed by as many as 26 in the second half and its 58-point output was its lowest of the season.

However, the biggest development late in the blowout loss was the injury suffered to Posh Alexander, who was seen walking off the floor before the completion of the game with a bag of ice on his wrist.

Mike Anderson said after the game that it was a thumb injury and the freshman guard was currently being evaluated.

Alexander continued his struggles with just four points on 2-of-7 of shooting as he’s two of his last fifteen from three-point range.

Julian Champagnie really struggled against with the target on his back from the Villanova defense  with 16 points on 5-of-18 shooting while adding seven rebounds to his stat line.

Isaih Moore was the only other player to reach double-figures for the Johnnies, ending the night with ten points.

St. John’s basketball with tall task awaiting

There is a scheduled eight day layoff upcoming from the Johnnies. There are some rumblings that the team could look to add another game but the layoff might be the most beneficial thing for the struggling Red Storm.

Providence and Seton Hall visit Queens in the last week of the regular season prior to the Big East Tournament.

ALSO READ: St. John’s suffers back-breaking loss against DePaul

St. John’s might have to win out until the Big East Tournament Championship Game for a chance at an at-large bid, and that still might not be enough.

If the month of February proves anything for St. John’s, it shows that the potential is there for the Johnnies, it’s now about trying to find consistency.