STJ-Memphis: St. Patrick's Day NIT Showdown In Mason Jr.'s Hometown

March 15, 2010

For tickets, contact the Memphis Ticket Office at 901-678-2331.

QUEENS, N.Y. - Winning five of 10 games down the stretch including a 73-51 BIG EAST Tournament first round victory over UConn and falling in a pair of two-point heartbreakers to NCAA Tournament six-seed Marquette, the St. John's men's basketball team (17-15, 6-12 BIG EAST) joins 12 other BIG EAST teams participating in postseason play by accepting a berth in the 2010 Postseason National Invitation Tournament. The sixth-seeded Red Storm heads to Memphis, Tenn. -- the hometown of STJ redshirt senior Anthony Mason Jr. -- to meet the third-seeded Tigers (23-9, 13-3 C-USA) of Conference USA. Wednesday's 9 p.m. ET contest (8 p.m. CT) will air nationally on ESPN2, with John Saunders and Bob Valvano calling the action. The matchup can be heard at approximately 10 p.m. on the official flagship of St. John's Basketball, Bloomberg Radio 1130-AM, with John Minko and analyst Tarik Turner. The Bloomberg broadcast will also be streamed live via StormTracker All-Access on RedStormSports.com.

St. John's 17 victories in 2009-10 mark the most wins of the Norm Roberts Era (16-15 in 2006-07, 16-18 in 2008-09) and represent the most wins since the 2002-03 season (21-13). The Red Storm (RPI of 82, SOS of 25) has played 21 games against teams participating in the 2010 postseason and owns eight victories over such foes -- four NCAA (Temple, Notre Dame, Louisville, Siena), three NIT (Cincinnati, USF, UConn) and one CBI (Hofstra). The Red Storm has posted four road victories this season, the most-ever for a Roberts-led squad.

STJ posted a victory in its only-ever prior meeting with Memphis, 75-54, on Dec. 28, 1991, in the title game of the ECAC Holiday Festival under Hall of Fame Coach Lou Carnesecca. Memphis State was the only non-BIG EAST participant in the 1985 Final Four 25 years ago.

Storm Tracker

Dynamic junior D.J. Kennedy currently paces the Red Storm in scoring (15.0 ppg), rebounding (6.1 rpg), assists (98, 3.1 apg), steals (36, 1.1 spg), free throw percentage (.753) and minutes played (31.3 per game), and is listed among St. John's leaders in blocked shots (tied for second, 22) and 3-point field goal percentage (third, .379). Kennedy -- whose scoring (18th) and rebounding (21st) averages have him ranked among the league's leaders -- is a six-time BIG EAST Honor Roll member this season, after his efforts earned him a first team All-Met nod from the Metropolitan Basketball Writers' Association (MBWA) in 2008-09. He is 34th on STJ's all-time scoring list with 1,153 career points.

Junior guard Paris Horne, who netted a team-best 14.6 ppg last season, is currently third on the squad in scoring (9.2 ppg) and is among team leaders once again in 3-point shooting (second, .381) and steals (third, 23). Horne, who had improved his scoring average by 9.5 ppg from his freshman to sophomore years, is a "go-to" scorer and one of STJ's toughest perimeter defenders, and was a 2009 first team All-Met selection by the MBWA.

Bruising forward and returning rebounding leader Sean Evans has established himself among the Red Storm's most consistent performers. Evans' 10 career double-doubles include a 19-point, 10-rebound effort against UConn in the BIG EAST Tournament. He averaged 15.5 ppg and 8.5 rpg while shooting .765 from the field and 1.000 at the free throw line (5-for-5) at that event.

Lightning-quick and Queens-tough, junior Malik Boothe returns as the incumbent floor general after leading the Red Storm with 4.4 assists per game, and totaling a team-high 111 assists, despite missing nine games with torn thumb ligaments last season. Boothe averaged 33.8 minutes per game and was forced into playing 36.5 minutes during league contests last season, vs. 25.0 mpg and 25.1 mpg in BIG EAST games this year. Boothe has averaged 5.8 assists across the last four games. He has gotten some relief with St. John's new "double-Malik" point guard system with the addition of promising local rookie Malik Stith, who has 37 assists and only 22 turnovers as a freshman.

Junior Justin Burrell returns to his familiar position in the low post after missing five games this season with a high-ankle sprain. The 2007-08 member of the BIG EAST's All-Rookie team averaged 9.0 ppg and 4.5 rpg in 2008-09 despite playing most of the season while wearing a mask to protect three hairline facial fractures. He is averaging 8.8 ppg over the last 13 games.

Imposing big man Dele Coker saw action in 31 contests last season and led the Red Storm in blocks (32, 1.0 per game). Coker has dropped 35 pounds in the weight room over the last three offseasons, and now leads the squad in field goal percentage (.629) and rejections (24, 0.9 bpg, Top 20 in the BIG EAST).

Veteran swingman Anthony Mason Jr. made his redshirt senior season debut at Louisville (Jan. 9), now fully-recovered from a hamstring injury. Since returning, the five-year performer has averaged 6.7 points per game and 5.4 rebounds, and is now St. John's 45th 1,000-point career scorer with 1,042.

Versatile JUCO transfer Justin Brownlee has been a key contributor for the Red Storm, ranking seventh on the team in scoring (6.6 ppg), fourth in rebounding (4.6 rpg), tied for second in blocks (22), fourth in steals (23) and third in free throw percentage (.742). His Chipola College squad spent nine weeks ranked as the No. 1 junior college program in the country last season.

Redshirt junior forward Rob Thomas (2.3 ppg) and rookie swingman Omari Lawrence (2.5 ppg) round out 12 Red Storm players averaging at least 7.0 minutes per game.

All of New York has been buzzing about the addition of former JFK standout scorer, playground legend and Indian Hills C.C. (Iowa) star Dwight Hardy. Hardy, a former NJCAA all-region selection, is second on the squad in scoring (10.5 ppg) and is 15th among all BIG EAST players with 1.86 made 3s per game. A sprained left knee suffered March 2 vs. Syracuse will keep him sidelined.

On Deck

With a win, STJ continues play in the NIT, facing either second-seeded Mississippi or No. 7 Troy in the second round.

St. John's In The Postseason NIT

The Red Storm makes its 28th all-time appearance in the NIT Postseason Tournament in 2010, and its first in 15 (eight ***) seasons. St. John's 28 NIT Tournament appearances are the most by any team in the national event's 72-year history.

St. John's made its last appearance in the NIT in 2003, where STJ won the tournament championship, later vacated by the NCAA.

In 2003, the Red Storm posted a 1-13 (21-13 ***) record including a run through the Postseason NIT. St. John's defeated Boston University, 62-57, in the first round before moving on to a 73-63 victory over Virginia in the second round. The Red Storm defeated Alabama-Birmingham, 79-71 in the quarterfinals and Texas Tech, 64-63 in the semifinals to reach the title game against Georgetown, where STJ overcame the BIG EAST Conference rival, 70-67 for the NIT championship.

The Red Storm is 40-25 (45-25 ***) all-time in the NIT and has advanced to the championship game nine (10 ***) times in 28 chances: 2003*** (champions), 1989 (champions), 1970, 1965 (champions), 1962, 1959 (champions), 1953, 1944 (champions) and 1943 (champions).

*** - Figure reduced due to St. John's 2003 NIT participation being vacated by the NCAA in 2006.

NIT Champions In 1943, 1944, 1959, 1965, 1989, 2003 ***

1943 -- On the way to its first NIT title, St. John's just got by its opening round matchup against Rice Institute of Houston, Texas. St. John's next edged Rice in the closing seconds, 51-49. Hy Gotkin's one-hander at the buzzer proved to be the game-winner. The team then faced local rival Fordham in the semifinals. St. John's defeated the Rams 69-43 and were led by Harry Boykoff's 22 points. St. John's defeated the University of Toledo, 48-27, to capture its first National Invitation Tournament. Boykoff was named Most Valuable Player of the Tournament, scoring 56 points in the three games.

1944 -- In the first victory on the way to back-to-back NIT titles, St. John's defeated Bowling Green in the quarterfinals by a score of 44-40. St. John's was led by Bill Kotsores' 15 points. Kotsores scored 15 more points against Kentucky to help the team to a 48-45 victory. St. John's won its second consecutive title with a 47-39 victory over DePaul in the championship game. Ray Wertis led the team with 12 points. Kotsores was named MVP, scoring 40 points in three games.

1959 -- St. John's defeated Villanova in the first round by a score of 75-67. St. John's was led by Alan Seiden with 25 points and Lou Roethel added 21. Tony Jackson exploded for 27 points against third-seeded St. Bonaventure in the quarterfinals, leading the team to an 82-74 victory. Roethel scored 22 and Jackson added 20 in a 76-55 win over the Providence Friars in the semifinals. St. John's took its third NIT title by defeating top-seeded Bradley 76-71 in double overtime. Seiden scored 22 and Jackson had 21 points and 27 rebounds in the game. Jackson, who was named MVP of the tournament, totaled 81 points for the four games.

1965 -- St. John's had to play both seeded teams en route to the school's fourth NIT title. In the first round, the team faced Boston College, defeating BC handily by a score of 114-92. Ken McIntyre scored 42 in the game. In the quarterfinals, St. John's played second-seeded New Mexico. McIntyre again led the team to a 61-54 victory scoring 20 points in the game. St. John's took on Army in the semifinals, and won by seven points, 67-60. In the final the team took on top-seeded Villanova, and St. John's shocked the Wildcats, 55-51. The McIntyre brothers (Ken and Rob) and Lloyd "Sonny" Dove accounted for 48 of the team's 55 points. Ken McIntyre was named MVP of the tournament. He totaled 101 points in the four games.

1989 -- St. John's received a home game in the first round against Mississippi. The team defeated Mississippi 70-67 with Jayson Williams leading the way with 25 points. St. John's once again received a home bid in the second round against Oklahoma State. The team came back from a 32-30 halftime deficit to win 76-64. Williams led all scorers with 27. The squad was then sent to Ohio State for a third round meeting. That marked the second meeting between the two teams that season. The first meeting was in the final of the ECAC Holiday Festival, when the Buckeyes beat St. John's 77-72. Once again, St. John's came from behind, erasing a 17-point deficit to send the game into overtime. St. John's won the game in overtime without its star Williams (who fouled out late in regulation) by a score of 83-80. In the semifinals, St. John's took on the University of Alabama-Birmingham. St. John's won the game 76-65, as freshman Malik Sealy and Williams each scored 17 in the game. St. John's would then have to face St. Louis University, the last obstacle in its comeback season. St. John's defeated St. Louis 73-65 to capture the school's fifth NIT title and the first for head coach Lou Carnesecca. Jayson Williams was named MVP of the Tournament.

2003 *** -- The St. John's men's basketball team entered its March 2, 2003, game with perennial national power Duke with a 12-12 record. Things weren't looking bright for the Red Storm, but, St. John's pulled off the upset, topping the Blue Devils, 72-71. Senior Marcus Hatten sealed the win with a free throw with no time left. And that free throw carried the Red Storm to win nine of its last 10 games, capping the season off with a 70-67 win over Georgetown in the NIT Championship game. The Red Storm finished the season 21-13 overall, and made what would be a difficult finish an exciting ride. A loss to Boston College in the BIG EAST Tournament quarterfinals was diminished by a bid to the NIT, where the team reeled off three-straight wins behind a raucous student cheering section at Alumni Hall - topping Boston University, Virginia and UAB - and advancing to Madison Square Garden for the NIT semifinals. Hatten scored 24 points and Elijah Ingram added 16 as St. John's topped Bob Knight and Texas Tech in the semifinals, advancing to face league rival Georgetown in the finals. In that game, Hatten had 22 points, Ingram added 19 and JUCO transfer Grady Reynolds - a major player down the stretch - scored 13 points and grabbed a career high 14 rebounds as St. John's won its sixth NIT Championship in program history.

Opening Tips

St. John's earned win No. 1,700 in program history by defeating Notre Dame (69-68) on Feb. 14, won No. 1,701 with the victory at USF (74-58) on Feb. 20, captured No. 1,702 with its triple-overtime thriller over DePaul (90-82) on March 5, and knocked off UConn on Tuesday for No. 1,703. With an all-time record of 1,703 wins and 883 losses, STJ is the seventh-winningest program in college basketball history by total victories.

St. John's has played tough, even in conference losses all season, and held leads in the second half in seven of its 12 BIG EAST defeats in 2009-10. The Red Storm led at halftime in six of those losses, including three against ranked opponents.

For the fourth-straight game, the Red Storm will be without the services of its second-leading scorer and biggest deep threat, Dwight Hardy. Hardy, who averages 10.5 points per game and 1.86 made 3-pointers per outing, suffered a sprained left knee at Syracuse on Tuesday, March 2. He is listed as week-to-week after being re-evaluated by the St. John's medical staff last on Monday, March 8.

St. John's University Athletics

STJ-Memphis: St. Patrick's Day NIT Showdown In Mason Jr.'s Hometown

Players Mentioned

Malik Boothe

Justin Brownlee

Justin Burrell

Dele Coker

Sean Evans

Dwight Hardy

Paris Horne

D.J. Kennedy

Anthony Mason Jr.

Malik Stith

Rob Thomas

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