St. John’s basketball schedule complete as Big East reveals matchups

The St. John’s basketball schedule is complete after the announcement of the league matchups. 

The full slate for Rick Pitino and the St. John’s basketball program is set after the Big East Conference announced its league matchups on Friday morning.

The Red Storm will begin conference action at home inside Carnesecca Arena on December 20 against Xavier as one of just two games the Johnnies will play on campus once Big East play begins.

Posh Alexander and Butler will return to Carnesecca Arena in the other matchup on January 2.

However, prior to the visit from Alexander and the Bulldogs, St. John’s will travel to Connecticut to play the National Champion Huskies on December 23. A venue has not been announced for the matchup but it’s likely that the game will be played at the XL Center in Hartford.

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Rick Pitino’s squad did not get elevated to playing Villanova at the Wells Fargo Center as the Red Storm will still make the trip to Finneran Pavilion on Saturday, January 6.

The Big East debut of the Johnnies this season at Madison Square Garden will come on January 10 when Kim English and the Providence Friars come to New York City before St. John’s hits the road for a two-game road trip against Creighton Seton Hall.

Four the next five games will be played at home for the Red Storm with Marquette and Villanova both getting games at The Garden on January 20 and January 24, respectively, before the regular season series closes with Xavier on January 31 in Cincinnati.

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UConn comes to The Garden on Saturday, February 3 as St. John’s will then play its first ever conference game at UBS Arena on Tuesday, February 6 against DePaul.

Another two game road trip will loom against Marquette and Providence on February 10 and 13, respectively, before the Red Storm return to UBS Arena to play Seton Hall on February 18.

St. John’s will not see the Ed Cooley-led Georgetown Hoyas until February 21 when the Johnnies make the trip to Washington D.C.

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The final of three two-game trips is the midwest kick for St. John’s against Butler and DePaul on February 28 and March 5 as the Hoyas and Johnnies will meet at The Garden for the second time in two weeks in the regular season finale on March 9.

The Big East Tournament will begin on March 13 with the championship being set for March 16.

St. John’s, in total for Big East play, will see six games at Madison Square Garden, two at UBS Arena, and two in Carnesecca Arena.

Tipoff times and television networks are expected to be announced next week.