Playing on one of New York basketball’s biggest stages, a new-look St. John’s Arena provided a reminder Sunday that coach Rick Pitino’s rebuilding is still a work in progress — especially on defense.
The Red Storm blew a 10-point lead in the second half of an 86-80 loss to Boston College on Sunday at Barclays Center, during which the Eagles shot 61.9% after halftime.
The defensive shortcomings disgusted Pitino who called the defeat “as disappointing a loss as I’ve ever had.”
“We’re not going to win until we’re committed to defense, and this group isn’t,” Pitino said. “It’s partly our fault. We’ve been recruiting offensive basketball players, trying to teach 23-year-olds about defense, and it cost us tonight.”
St. John’s used a 14-0 run shortly after halftime to open up a 10-point advantage, but the Eagles responded with a 19-4 run. Boston College made three 3-pointers during its run, while guard Chas Kelly III added another with 3:11 remaining in what proved to be the dagger.
Boston College also grabbed 11 offensive rebounds in the game, leading to 16 second-chance points, and attempted a whopping 25 free throws in the second half, making 18.
“We press as much as I want most of the time, but the defense in the half is bad,” the 71-year-old Pitino said. “Just obnoxious. Such a disappointment.”
The Red Storm fell to 6-3 in their first season under Pitino, the two-time state champion coach whom St. John’s hired from Iona in March to revitalize a program that had made just three NCAA Tournament appearances since 2002.
Pitino has overhauled the roster, returning just two players from last season’s team, with several new additions being seniors who starred at their former schools.
“Defense is a matter of will,” Pitino said. “You have to play defense. … It’s frustrating, but that’s what it is like in the first year. [It’s] All frustrations, that’s what you get. But it’s not that young players aren’t committed to defending; It’s the whole team.”
St. John’s did not make any players available to the media after the loss.
The Red Storm entered the game as 5.5-point favorites over Boston College, which improved to 8-3. The Red Storm shot just 40.3% from the field and finished 4 of 19 from three-point range.
The loss spoiled the efforts of center Joel Soriano, who led St. John’s with 21 points and added 11 rebounds to achieve his fifth double-double in nine games. The 6-11 year old from Yonkers entered Sunday as one of 15 players in the country averaging a double-double.
Eight of Soriano’s points came during the Red Storm’s 14-0 run, during which he repeatedly scored past Quentin Post, the Eagles’ seven-foot standout player. Soriano scored 14 of his points in the second half.
Meanwhile, Post took control early, scoring nine of his team’s first 15 points. The senior from Amsterdam had a triple-double, finishing with 14 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. Five players scored in double figures for Boston College.
Afterward, Pitino said his team’s defensive issues stem from an inability to accommodate scouts. Pitino said the way his team lost on Sunday is what made it so disappointing.
“Both of my teams were outstanding defensive teams with extraordinary effort,” said Pitino, who won NCAA championships with Kentucky and Louisville. “These guys…just want to score the ball.”
Beyond fixing the on-court product, Pitino stressed the need to rebuild the St. John’s brand. He has repeatedly indicated his desire for the Red Storm to play quality opponents in top-tier venues like Barclays Center.
Sunday’s loss occurred about 10 miles from the St. John’s University campus in Queens, where many Barclays Center fans were cheering on the Red Storm. The matchup with Boston College was part of a four-game showcase in Brooklyn hosted by the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
St. John’s is scheduled to play Fordham on Saturday at Madison Square Garden, followed by its Big East opener against Xavier on Dec. 20 at Carnesecca Arena.
“We’re going to have pain the first year,” Pitino said. “Hopefully they’ll learn by Big East time. But they’re not going to win…playing that type of defense.”
On a disappointing night at Barclays, St. John’s let a second-half lead slip away as they suffered a tough loss to British Columbia. Despite a strong start and a promising performance in the first half, St. John’s struggled to maintain their momentum and ultimately fell short in a closely contested game. The defeat serves as a reminder of the challenges and unpredictability of the sport, but the team will undoubtedly use this setback as motivation to bounce back stronger in their upcoming fixtures.