After not quite having the production that he had hoped for during the first two games of the season, Ruben Prey finally had a breakout moment in early in the St. John’s basketball season on Wednesday night against Colgate.
After playing just five minutes in the first half due to foul trouble, Prey went for nine points and eight rebounds after halftime.
His performance against the Raiders was better than his previous two games combined in which he went for seven points and nine rebounds against Monmouth and Iona and did so in less minutes.
The hope is that his 11-point, 8-rebound game can be a springboard as the No. 13 Red Storm will play much tougher opponents throughout the month, beginning on Sunday night (7:00 p.m. ET, Peacock) against Syracuse.
“I thought he was the Ruben of last year,” Rick Pitino said after the 90-59 victory. “Where he was just flying all over the place and he did a really good job of constantly moving on offense and defense where he really hasn’t been doing that.”
Pitino explained following St. John’s season opening win over Monmouth that he had been trying to get his starting center going after a preseason in which his stats – and play – didn’t pop of the screen.
“I knew I had 20 minutes to go,” Prey explained of his lackluster first half. “I didn’t play much in the first half so why not use all my energy in the second half?”
St. John’s was without freshman center Theo Edema against Colgate due to a foot injury that is considered to be very minor. Rick Pitino added that it’s his hope to have Edema ready for the matchup against the Orange after he had previously stated that the 7-footer’s presence would be needed for the Red Storm in the Players Era Festival.
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