St. John's University Athletics
St. John??' Takes On USF Wednesday At Carnesecca Arena
2/6/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
For the first time since a 76-70 win over Columbia on Dec. 23, the St. John???s men???s basketball team (13-10, 4-6 BIG EAST) is back on campus in Queens, meeting BIG EAST squad South Florida (12-11, 3-6 BIG EAST) at Carnesecca Arena on Feb. 7. Already with a 7-1 record at the historic venue this season, the Red Storm plays its next two home games at the former Alumni Hall on the Red Storm campus. The USF contest will air Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. on the MSG Network, with Rob Simmelkjaer and Ron Perry calling the action. The game will also air on 1050-AM ESPN Radio, with announcers Mike Crispino, Brandon Tierney and Tarik Turner.
??? St. John???s began its season in November at Carnesecca Arena with two victories in the opening rounds of the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer. The Red Storm owns a 7-1 record in eight games at Carnesecca Arena this season, a 69.5 points per game scoring average, a 46.1 percent field goal percentage and a 36.0 percent mark from 3-point range in the friendly confines of its on-campus home.
??? St. John???s comes into the game with a 4-6 conference record, attempting to earn its first BIG EAST Tournament berth since 2003. A win on Wednesday would give the Red Storm a 5-6 conference record and a .454 league winning percentage, placing the Red Storm either eighth or ninth in the BIG EAST standings with five conference games to play.
??? The Red Storm earned its first conference road victory of the season, its second 2006-07 road victory overall and fourth of the Norm Roberts Era with a 73-64 win at Cincinnati on Super Bowl Sunday. Rookie Qa???rraan Calhoun scored a game and career-high 18 points to go along with five boards in the victory, while Lamont Hamilton netted 10 of his total 15 points in the second half and grabbed a game-best seven rebounds. Avery Patterson???s 10-point contribution included three 3-pointers, while Anthony Mason Jr. scored nine with six rebounds while playing most of the game with a dislocated finger. St. John???s shot 48.8 percent from the field, 46.7 percent from long range and 81.3 percent from the free throw line, while limiting the Bearcats to 33.3 percent field goal shooting, 26.7 percent from 3-point range and 59.3 percent from the line.
Storm Tracker
??? With 1,115 career points, senior Wooden and Naismith Award candidate Lamont Hamilton is 35th all-time in school scoring history and became the 43rd St. John???s player to reach the 1,000-point plateau. He is now one of 21 players in St. John???s history with more than 1,100 points and 600 rebounds (Hamilton enters Wednesday???s game with 640 for his career), and one of only six St. John???s players with 1,100 career points, 600 rebounds and 100 blocked shots (Hamilton enters the USF game with 112 career rejections).
??? Hamilton is averaging 13.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, ranking among the BIG EAST leaders in those categories at 22nd and T-17th, respectively. He leads the Red Storm with 17 career double-doubles, having notched back-to-back double-double efforts against Syracuse (Jan. 21: 10 pts, 12 rebs) and No. 22/21 Notre Dame (Jan. 23: 23 pts, 12 rebs). The preseason All-BIG EAST performer set a new career high with 36 points vs. Columbia (Dec. 23) ??? a mark that stands as the second best point total in the league this year. That effort landed him on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (Dec. 27).
??? Sharpshooting junior Avery Patterson made a major impact in his first season with the Red Storm, averaging 11.6 ppg. The former junior college All-American is currently sixth among all BIG EAST players with 61 3-pointers made. Patterson is shooting 35.5 percent from long range and averages 2.7 made 3s per game. Of his 90 made field goals on the season, 61 of them are 3-pointers (67.8 percent). He drilled three 3s, including back-to-back bombs in the second half, in the win at Cincinnati (Feb. 4).
??? Anthony Mason Jr. has been a warrior, attacking the rim and igniting crowds with emphatic dunks. The sophomore is averaging 10.7 points and 5.9 rebounds on the season. He is averaging 7.5 rebounds in the last 11 games and reached double-figures in a career-best nine-straight games from Nov. 16 to Dec. 23, including 22 points at Niagara (Dec. 9). He also scored 22 at Seton Hall (Jan. 9) and is averaging 9.9 ppg and 7.1 rpg in BIG EAST play.
??? Eugene Lawrence, the junior floor general and team captain, is averaging 7.5 points, 5.1 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game, including 10.0 points and 5.2 assists in the last six games while shooting .528 from the field and .545 from 3-point range. Lawrence currently ranks fourth among all BIG EAST players in assists ??? he finished fourth in the league last season, averaging 4.9 per game ??? and is T-eighth in steals per game.
??? Senior center Aaron Spears has been back in the starting lineup for five of the last seven games, and is averaging 5.4 points and 2.7 boards across that stretch, while making 54.8 percent of his field goals. His performance against UConn (Jan. 13) included 11 points and seven rebounds (three offensive).
??? The addition of the quick, versatile, athletic Qa???rraan Calhoun has given the Red Storm a different look in the frontcourt, with the ability to score inside and outside. He scored a career-high 18 at Cincinnati (Feb. 4), and over the last 10 games, the rookie has given St. John???s a lift off the bench with 6.8 ppg and 3.4 rpg in 22.3 minutes.
??? Rookie Larry Wright hit the game-winning 3 vs. No. 22/21 Notre Dame (Jan. 23) and has been impressive, averaging 4.1 points 12.1 minutes per outing. He is currently second on the team in 3-point accuracy, shooting 44.2 percent (19-for-43) from beyond the arc and making at least one 3-pointer in 13 games this season. Wright made 6-of-6 free throws in the Red Storm???s win at Cincinnati (Feb. 4).
On Deck
??? St. John???s faces Syracuse for the second time in 19 days as the Red Storm heads to the Carrier Dome on Sunday, Feb. 11. The 2 p.m. game airs live on the MSG Network.
Kings Of Queens
??? St. John???s was back at Carnesecca Arena during the season???s opening weeks for the first time since its season-ending sell-out atmosphere vs. Rutgers last March 5. In eight games at the former Alumni Hall, the raucous Queens crowd has averaged more than 4,000 fans per game (4,056) and the Red Storm responded with a 7-1 record, a 69.5 points per game scoring average, a 46.1 percent field goal percentage and a 36.0 percent mark from 3-point range in the friendly confines of CA.
??? Forward Lamont Hamilton has excelled this season at Carnesecca Arena, averaging 15.3 ppg and 6.6 rpg. Junior guard Avery Patterson has been terrific in his first season at CA, averaging 13.1 ppg while making 41.7 percent of his field goals, 37.1 percent of his 3-pointers and 80.0 percent of his free throws (12-of-15). Anthony Mason Jr. is averaging 11.1 ppg and 4.0 boards, while sidelined senior Daryll Hill adding 7.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg and 3.5 apg at the arena in his hometown of Queens, N.Y.
??? The Red Storm posted a 5-2 record on the Queens campus in 2005-06, contributing to its overall 10-7 home mark between all games at Carnesecca Arena and Madison Square Garden.
??? The Red Storm prospered in the friendly confines of Carnesecca Arena in 2005-06, avenging losses from 2004-05 against the likes of St. Francis (64-50, Nov. 22) and Niagara (67-61, Nov. 26). St. John???s lone setbacks of the season in Queens were a 64-51 loss at the hands of Hofstra on Nov. 29 and the March 5 loss to Rutgers (82-70).
Carnesecca Arena Improvements
??? While feasibility studies are currently underway toward large-scale future renovations of venerable Carnesecca Arena, alumni, visitors and fans will undoubtedly notice several immediate improvements from last season:
- Refurbished Carnesecca Court playing surface
- Two new scoreboards with LED screens for graphics, announcements and ads
- New media/rotating signage table for press row
- New team bench and press row chairs
- New black leather donor seating with STJ logos
- Improved concession areas and improved hot/cold capabilities
- Full-color lobby photos highlighting current student-athletes
A Few For The Road
??? Including St. John???s Super Sunday win at Cincinnati, the Red Storm has posted four road victories since the dawn of the Norm Roberts Era, and the key has been outstanding defense.
??? On Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 4, the Red Storm held Cincinnati to 33.3 percent shooting from the field and 26.7 percent shooting from 3-point range for a 73-64 St. John???s victory ??? the first conference road win of the 2006-07 season. The Red Storm also got the best of the Bearcats on the glass, 34-32, and was aided by UC???s 59.3 percent shooting performance from the free throw line.
??? In an 86-64 victory at Niagara on Dec. 9, 2006, the Red Storm limited the Purple Eagles to 32.8 percent shooting for the game, and 33.3 percent from long range. In the second half, St. John???s allowed Niagara 21.9 percent field goal shooting and 21.4 percent from downtown. Anthony Mason Jr. stepped in to hold Niagara???s leading scorer, Clif Brown, to three second-half points after Brown scored 20 in the first period. Mason Jr. volunteered for the defensive assignment at halftime.
??? St. John???s 68-49 victory over then-conference newcomer South Florida on Jan. 14, 2006, was a key win as part of Roberts??? rebuilding process for the St. John???s basketball program. In fact, for the Red Storm it was like getting a huge monkey ??? or as Roberts said ???a gorilla??? ??? off its back. The victory over the Bulls marked not only the first BIG EAST win and the first road win of the 2005-06 season, but it was also the first road win and first BIG EAST road win of the Roberts Era.
??? St. John???s had not won a road game since Nov. 29, 2003, at Stony Brook (2003-04 season), and a BIG EAST road game since March 8, 2003, at Miami (2002-03 season). Roberts and the Red Storm???s victory on the road ended a stretch of 25 consecutive road losses and 17 conference losses away from home.
??? Defense keyed the victory, as St. John???s held USF to 34.5 percent shooting and limited the Bulls??? leading scorer, James Holmes (19.0 ppg) to four points on 1-for-14 FGs.
Super Victories
??? Including its 73-64 victory over Cincinnati on Feb. 4, St. John???s is now 3-1 all-time on Super Bowl Sunday. Later that evening, the Indianapolis Colts went on to defeat the Chicago Bears, 29-17, in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, Fla., much to the chagrin of St. John???s senior center and Chicago native Aaron Spears.
??? Previously, The Red Storm downed Villanova at the Garden, 82-59, on Jan. 25, 1998, on the day the Denver Broncos defeated the Green Bay Packers, 31-24 in Super Bowl XXXII.
??? Brian Mahoney???s Red Storm won at Michigan, 82-77, on Jan 29, 1995, before the San Francisco 49ers beat the San Diego Chargers, 49-26, in Super Bowl XXIX.
??? Mahoney???s squad fell to Minnesota at MSG, 92-64, the year prior on Jan. 30, 1994, when the Dallas Cowboys topped the Buffalo Bills, 30-13 in Super Bowl XXVIII.
A-Mase Is A-O.K.
??? St. John???s sophomore Anthony Mason Jr. dislocated the middle finger on his left hand with 33 seconds to play in the first half against Cincinnati. In a tremendous display of toughness and determination, Mason Jr. had his finger put back into place by St. John???s athletic trainer Ron Linfonte, A.T.C. and Bearcat team doctor Angelo Colosimo.
??? Mason Jr. contributed 17 second-half minutes with his finger splinted and taped together, contributing seven second half points and three second half rebounds en route to game totals of nine points and six boards. He drilled a three, converted a fast-break layup and sunk two free throws in the game???s final 2:19 to help St. John???s earn the win.
??? Since returning to campus, Mason Jr. has been examined by St. John???s team doctor Osric King, M.D., and hand specialist Michelle Carlson, M.D. His x-rays returned negative and he has been cleared to play after limited practice on Tuesday.
The Series With USF
??? St. John???s and South Florida are tied at one win apiece in the all-time series, having met in 1995 and 2006. Wednesday???s matchup at Carnesecca Arena marks the first meeting in the series on the Red Storm???s home court, and also marks the return trip from the home-and-home BIG EAST series begun between the two teams last series.
??? Anthony Mason Jr. and Eugene Lawrence had 13 points each and St. John???s snapped a 25-game road losing streak with a 68-49 win over South Florida on Jan. 14, 2006. Lamont Hamilton also scored nine points for St. John???s. The Red Storm???s previous road win was a 72-61 victory against Stony Brook on Nov. 29, 2003. Solomon Jones scored 17 points and McHugh Mattis added 15 for South Florida. The Bulls had dropped their first two BIG EAST conference games ??? against West Virginia and Syracuse ??? by a combined 10 points.
??? All-time, St. John???s is 20-15 against opponents from the state of Florida. That includes a 16-12 record against Miami, a 2-1 mark against Jacksonville, a 1-0 mark from a win over North Florida from earlier this season (Nov. 10), a 1-1 mark against USF and an 0-1 record vs. the University of Florida.
Scouting The Bulls
??? At 12-11 and 3-6 in the BIG EAST, USF comes into Wednesday???s game following a 69-63 Saturday win over now No. 21 Notre Dame.
??? The Bulls boast four players that average double-figure scoring numbers, including senior forward Melvin Buckley at 15.7 ppg, leading a potent USF frontcourt. Junior center Kentrel Gransberry, a mid-year transfer, averages 14.3 ppg and 10.6 rebounds. Senior forward McHugh Mattis is the reigning BIG EAST Player of the Week, averaging 13.0 points, 7.3 boards and a league-leading 3.9 blocked shots per game. Freshman guard Solomon Bozeman averages 10.6 ppg, leads the conference in free throw percentage at 89.2 percent (116-for-130) and is tied for 12th among all BIG EAST players with 4.1 assists per game.
??? As a team, USF averages 66.4 ppg and limits opponents to 64.3 ppg. The Bulls average 36.6 rebounds per game while allowing opponents 33.9. USF hits at a 45.7 percent clip from the field and 33.2 percent from 3-point range, while allowing opposition 40.3 percent shooting from the floor and 31.9 percent from long distance.
