The St. John’s basketball team had not been ranked in consecutive Associated Press Top 25 Preseason polls since the 1990-91 and 1991-92 seasons – the final years under head coach Lou Carnesecca – until now.
After landing at No. 5 a year ago, the Johnnies will start the year at No. 13, which was unveiled in the first edition of the poll on Monday afternoon.
The roster is highlighted by key returners Ian Jackson and Ruben Prey while adding Baylor star Tounde Yessoufou and British point guard Quinn Eliis. The Red Storm also added international prospect Babacar Sane, Auburn transfer Keyshawn Hall, and Indiana transfer Reed Bailey.
The trio are still fighting for eligibility as Sane has his final hearing on November 9 after being granted a temporary restraining order to play until that date as have Hall and Bailey.
Sane was denied eligibility after signing an Exhibit 10 contract earlier in his career while both Hall and Bailey are fighting the NCAA on the 5-in-5 eligibility case which would grant each player another year on the court.
Yet Rick Pitino has issued caution with his team and the expectations that will be placed on the Red Storm despite two exhibitions wins and being picked to finish second in the Big East Preseason Poll.
“We make a lot of mistakes due to the fact that they haven’t played together,” Pitino said on Sunday after his team emerged victorious in a quadruple overtime exhibition against Rutgers.
“We took a lot of guys that are good offensive players and not good defensive players. They’ve got to learn all that.”
St. John’s will play No. 7 Texas in its final exhibition game on Sunday inside Madison Square Garden while dates with No. 5 Arizona, No. 11 Louisville or No. 19 Texas Tech, No. 20 Alabama, and potentially No. 8 Tennessee await on its non-conference schedule.
“I’m not sure we are going to be ready for the likes of Arizona or the [Players Era 16], but we just got to hold steady, win as many games as we can, because come January we will be a much better basketball team.”
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