“It’s a big reason why I came here,” Dillon Mitchell said ahead of a heavyweight bout with UConn.
Mitchell, the Cincinnati transfer, has made an instant impact for St. John’s since arriving. Whether it’s his elite lockdown defense or his head-turning dunks that lift every fan from their seats at Madison Square Garden, the point forward has quickly become the team’s X-factor.
St. John’s brought Mitchell in as a forward replacement for Aaron Scott, who served as a 3-and-D forward, a parallel opposite from the type of player Mitchell has become.
“We didn’t have a true point guard starting, so he evolved more than we expected,” Rick Pitino said following Mitchell’s dominant performance against Butler on Jan. 28. “We wanted him when he went to Cincinnati — we loved him then. You look at him tonight, he’s a tremendous player to coach and watch.”
In his lone year with the Johnnies, Mitchell has averaged nine points per game, seven rebounds and two assists, while also totaling more than a steal per contest and a block. Over the last five games, Mitchell has totaled three double-doubles while averaging 12 points.
Entering a contest against UConn, however, Mitchell feels as if it’s just another game.
“It’s a big game,” Mitchell said. “We’re both fighting over something and playing for something. Every game we approach it the same — we try to get the win.”
Since entering the starting lineup, the Johnnies have prospered, winning eight straight games in which Mitchell has started. Mitchell provides extra defensive size to the starting five, allowing Joson Sanon, whose main strength is shooting, to move to the bench.
The Huskies are not a team to overlook, however, especially when firing on all cylinders. UConn enters Madison Square Garden as one of the best teams in the country, holding a 22–1 record, with its only loss coming at the hands of No. 1 Arizona, a game in which the Huskies were missing star freshman Braylon Mullins and starting center Tarris Reed Jr.
One of Connecticut’s biggest strengths has been its shooting, leading its 25th-ranked offense — just ahead of St. John’s at No. 26 on KenPom. The Huskies are powered by star guard Solo Ball, who is averaging 14 points per game on six attempts from beyond the arc per game.
When asked about his potential defensive matchup, Mitchell said everyone will have to wait and see, hinting at the possibility of guarding Mullins, one of the league’s deadliest shooters when he’s on point.
Mitchell understands the assignment against UConn, getting a chance to play in front of a passionate crowd at the world’s most famous arena.
“Playing in front of a crowd like this, you come here to play this type of competition — you don’t duck it,” Mitchell said. “I’m looking forward to it.”