St. John’s to Host Queens College in Exhibition Contest

St. John’s to Host Queens College in Exhibition Contest

10/30/2019 10:30:00 AM | Men's Basketball

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The Red Storm’s first intercollegiate competition of the Mike Anderson Era will air on ESPN3

QUEENS, N.Y. – The St. John's men's basketball team will play its first and only public tune-up before the 2019-20 season on Wednesday night, taking on Queens College at 7 p.m. inside Carnesecca Arena.

The contest will air live on ESPN3 with Ralph Bednarczyk and Tarik Turner on the call.

St. John's is entering its first season under the direction of Head Coach Mike Anderson, who comes to campus with 17-years of head coaching experience to his name. In those 17 campaigns, Anderson has never endured a losing season, boasting a record of 369-200. He compiled that mark during stints at UAB, Missouri and Arkansas, leading all three of those programs to the NCAA Tournament, including a pair of Sweet 16 appearances and a run to the Elite Eight in 2009.

Two St. John's upperclassmen received All-BIG EAST honors earlier this month, as Mustapha Heron and LJ Figueroa were named to the preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team. Heron and Figueroa, who ranked second and third, respectively, on the team in scoring a year ago, both gained international experience over the summer at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. Heron competed alongside BIG EAST teammates representing USA Basketball, while Figueroa saw action with the Dominican Republic.

Figueroa and Heron are two of six returning letterwinners from a year ago. Sophomores Josh Roberts, Greg Williams Jr. and Marcellus Earlington will look to have breakout sophomore years while senior guard Justin Cole will look to contribute during his final year with the Red Storm.

David Caraher will suit up for the first time after redshirting last season while transfers Nick Rutherford, Damien Sears and Thomas O'Connell will also look to make immediate impacts for Coach Anderson.

Freshman John McGriff will miss the contest after undergoing shoulder surgery, but Julian Champagnie, a local first-year talent from Brooklyn's Bishop Loughlin, will look to get his St. John's career off on the right foot.

St. John's opens the regular-season on Nov. 6 when the Johnnies host Mercer inside Carnesecca Arena at 6:30 p.m. on FS1.