The St. John’s basketball team would dominate some of its opponents last season on the glass with its relentless motor, but that success hasn’t translated yet to this year’s version of the team and that must change quickly for the Red Storm.
Including the exhibition games, the Johnnies (1-1) have been outrebounded in three of the four times it stepped on the floor. The only time it landed more rebounds than its opponent was in the regular season opener against Quinnipiac.
Towson, Michigan, and Alabama have all beat the Storm to the ball on the glass.
“I’m a little concerned that our frontcourt doesn’t like to hit people when the shot’s taken,” Rick Pitino explained after the team’s loss to the then No. 15 Crimson Tide last week, which allowed 19 second chance points on 14 offensive rebounds.
The Hall of Famer had previously mentioned in the preseason that his guards were unwilling to rebound and needed to pitch in on the glass as the attention now turns to its powerful forwards.
“We try to outjump them instead of hitting people,” he continued about the rebounding woes. “It’s a fundamental we’ve got to learn.”
A year ago, St. John’s averaged 5.7 more rebounds per game than its opponents and added more firepower to its returning frontcourt of Zuby Ejiofor and Ruben Prey with transfers Bryce Hopkins and Dillon Mitchell.
In its small sample size, including the preseason, St. John’s is being outrebounded by two boards per contest.
After games against William & Mary and Bucknell in the next seven days, the Johnnies will be seriously tested during the Players Era Invitational in Las Vegas against No. 16 Iowa State, Baylor, and likely another power conference team.
Ole Miss and No. 9 Kentucky also loom on the schedule in December.
It’s still early and a small sample size but for No. 13 St. John’s to try and replicate last year’s success, they have to get back to their roots of dominating on the backboards.