St. John's University Athletics
Joe Tartamella Releases 2016-17 Non-Conference Schedule
8/18/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
2016-17 Non-Conference Schedule (PDF)
QUEENS, N.Y. - Looking to defend its first BIG EAST title in nearly three decades and return to the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time in last eight years, the St. John's Red Storm will play a loaded non-conference schedule in 2016-17, facing off against some of the best competition that the NCAA has to offer.
"This year we have once again put together a demanding non-conference schedule," said Head Coach Joe Tartamella. "I am confident that this string of tough games will prepare us well for BIG EAST play."
The Johnnies will play a 11-game non-conference slate this upcoming season, highlighted by matchups against five teams that earned berths to the NCAA Tournament in 2016, three of which advanced to the second round. In addition to those NCAA squads, the Johnnies will take on two teams that played in last year's WNIT, including a Virginia squad that moved on to the Round of 16. Overall, eight of the Red Storm's 11 non-conference opponents finished 2015-16 with a record of .500 or better.
"The ability to face seven teams that made the postseason last year will put our players in high-level situations early in the year," continued Tartamella. "We have high-level programs such as Miami, Arizona State, Rutgers and Virginia, along with conference winners in James Madison and Albany. In addition, we will also feature two local opponents in Fordham and Wagner."
Cumulatively, the Red Storm's 2016-17 non-conference opponents compiled a record of 210-145 in 2015-16 (.592) with five of those squads winning at least 24 games.
Last season, the Red Storm eclipsed the 20-win plateau for the third-straight year, going 23-10 and claiming the program's first BIG EAST conference crown since 1988. The Johnnies earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time in the last seven campaigns after winning three games in three days in Chicago to secure the BIG EAST Tournament title. Following the season, Aliyyah Handford and Danaejah Grant, both of whom were First Team All-BIG EAST selections, became the third and fourth players, respectively, in program history to be selected in the WNBA Draft, as Handford was taken 27th by the Connecticut Sun and Grant was picked 31st by the Washington Mystics.
The Red Storm will commence the 2016-17 season in Williamsburg, Va., facing off against William & Mary on Sunday, Nov. 13, at 2 p.m. The Tribe finished the 2015-16 season with a .500 record, going 15-15 with a 6-12 mark in CAA action. William & Mary returns all but one letterwinner from the 2015-16 season, including the team's top eight scorers.
After kicking off the season down in Dixie, the Red Storm will return to Queens for its home opener, welcoming Duquesne to Carnesecca Arena for a 2 p.m. matchup on Thursday, Nov. 17. Last season, the Dukes enjoyed one of the finest seasons in program history, going 28-6 and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Duquesne topped Seton Hall in the opening round of the tournament before falling to eventual national champion Connecticut in the Round of 32. 2016-17 will mark the second-straight season that the Dukes and Johnnies will face one another, as Duquesne came back in the fourth quarter to defeat then-No. 25 St. John's last December in Pittsburgh.
The Red Storm will welcome another nationally acclaimed foe to Carnesecca Arena on Nov. 20, playing host to Miami at 7 p.m. Last season, the Hurricanes amassed a record of 24-9 and finished fifth in the ultra-competitive ACC, earning a five-seed in the NCAA Tournament before losing in the first round to South Dakota State. From that breakout 2015-16 squad, the 2016-17 edition of the Hurricanes will return its top four scorers in Adrienne Motley, Jessica Thomas, Keyona Hayes and Emese Hof.
After playing host to a pair of NCAA Tournament teams, the Red Storm will take part in a Thanksgiving Weekend tournament for the first time since 2011-12 when the Johnnies travel to Las Vegas for the 2016 South Point Shootout. Coach Tartamella's squad will open up action on Nov. 25th against Virginia, a team that advanced to the third round of the WNIT last season and posted a final record of 18-16. Two days later, the Red Storm will face yet another team that earned a berth in the NCAA field of 64 in 2015-16, taking on the Sun Devils of Arizona State. ASU compiled a record of 26-7 a season ago, good enough for second place in a Pac-12 conference that went on to send two teams to the Final Four. A two-seed in the NCAA Tournament, the Sun Devils easily dealt with New Mexico State in the first round before falling in the second round to a red-hot Tennessee squad that eventually advanced to the Elite Eight.
Upon returning from Las Vegas, the Red Storm will face an NCAA Tournament team for the fourth time in five outings, welcoming the Great Danes of Albany to Carnesecca Arena for a 7 p.m. matchup on Wednesday, Nov. 30. Last season, Albany finished with a 28-5 record after claiming the America East crown and advancing to the second round of the Big Dance. After topping Florida, a five-seed, the Great Danes were knocked off by Syracuse, who would go on to contend in the national championship game, in the Round of 32 on the Orange's home floor.
The Red Storm will kick off the month of December at home on Sat., Dec. 3, taking on the Leopards of Lafayette at 2 p.m. inside Carnesecca Arena. Last season, the Leopards went 6-23, including a 4-14 record in Patriot League action.
On Dec. 7, the Red Storm will welcome a former BIG EAST rival to Carnesecca Arena, playing host to Rutgers at 7 p.m. One of the most storied programs in women's college basketball, Rutgers suffered a loss to the Johnnies on its home floor last season, as the Red Storm claimed a 69-62 victory at the RAC on Nov. 19.
Six days later, the Johnnies will reignite an historic local rivalry, traveling to the city's northernmost borough for matchup with Fordham on Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. Despite finishing the 2015-16 season with a sub .500 record (14-17), the Rams, who had been to three-straight postseasons, proved able to defend their home floor. Fordham registered an 11-4 mark inside the Rose Hill Gym, the oldest on-campus arena in Division I.
The Johnnies will close out the 2016 non-conference slate with a pair of contests at home, beginning with a matchup against Wagner on Dec. 17. The Seahawks struggled mightily last season, finishing 5-24 with a 3-15 record in the NEC.
The Red Storm's final non-league game will come four days later when the Johnnies host James Madison University, Tartamella's alma mater. The Dukes claimed the CAA title last season, finishing the campaign with a record of 27-6 after bowing out in the NCAA Tournament First Round to BIG EAST Regular Season Champion DePaul.
Season tickets for the Red Storm are on sale now and can be obtained by calling 1-888-GO-STORM or visiting www.RedStormTix.com.
