St. John’s basketball finalizes Rick Pitino’s first non-conference schedule

The St. John’s basketball non-conference schedule has officially been finalized. 

Opponents on the St. John’s basketball non-conference schedule have been known for quite some time throughout this offseason but the slate has officially been revealed for Rick Pitino‘s first season in Queens.

The Johnnies will begin the Pitino era inside Carnesecca Arena on Tuesday, November 7 against Stony Brook. It will be the first of just three games in the on-campus home of the Red Storm in the  early portion of the schedule.

St. John’s then takes center take under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden on Monday, November 13 against the Michigan Wolverines in the program’s first game in Manhattan with Pitino on the sidelines.

Television times and networks have not been announced for a majority of games on the schedule but the expectation is that the Red Storm and Wolverines will tipoff at 7:00p.m. on FoxSports1.

Rick Pitino will then lead his team to South Carolina for the Shriners Children’s Charleston Classic beginning on Thursday, November 16 as the Johnnies drew North Texas in its opening game, which will tipoff at 1:30p.m ET (ESPNU).

St. John’s will either play LSU or Dayton on Friday, November 16. Should the Red Storm lose against the Mean Green, they will play at 11:30a.m. but a victory pencils in a 2:00p.m. tipoff.

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The final day of the Charleston Classic is Sunday, November 19 and either Houston, Wake Forest, Towson, or Utah will be awaiting the Johnnies as there are a multitude of potential starting times.

St. John’s returns back to Carnesecca on November 25 to face Holy Cross as a trip to Morgantown, West Virginia looms on Friday, December 1 to play the Mountaineers in the Big East vs. Big 12 Battle.

St. John’s basketball taking center stage in New York City

The Red Storm end its non-conference slate of game with four straight contests in New York City.

Upon its return from West Virginia, St. John’s will play its final non-Big East game of the season in Carnesecca Arena against Sacred Heart on Wednesday, December 6.

A short trip to Brooklyn follows as the Johnnies will play Boston College on Sunday, December 10 (4:30p.m ET) in the NABC Brooklyn Showcase.

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St. John’s will return to Madison Square Garden for the second time in its non-conference schedule on Saturday, December 16 as a local rivalry is renewed with the Fordham Rams as the program pays a visit to UBS Arena on Long Island to close out the calendar year on Saturday, December 30 against Hofstra.

It is expected that Big East play will begin at some point prior to the conclusion of the non-conference games but the league is not expected to announce its conference matchup until mid-September.