Why St. John’s visit to Butler could shape season’s stretch run

INDIANAPOLIS — The second half of Big East play soon starts and St. John's needs wins, no matter how ugly or unconvincing or forgettable.

More than that, the Red Storm needs the right kind of wins.

In eighth place in the Big East and without a win against a ranked team this season — 2-5 against top-50 teams in the RPI — St. John's has an opportunity for its best win of the season against 22nd-ranked Butler on Tuesday night at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse, where the Bulldogs are 10-1 this season.

After losing six of eight games, St. John's (14-7, 3-5) picked up an impressive 75-66 home win over Providence on Saturday afternoon, but the Red Storm haven't won consecutive games since Big East play started and are 2-3 on the road.

Multiple marquee games still remain, but it is February and the senior-laden squad can see the opportunities are only getting smaller.

"We're going to be up and ready to play because we know we have to get the win — simple," senior Phil Greene said. "It's getting close to March, so we just want to win every game period. We don't want to put ourselves into a big hole. We want to control our own destiny."

All appeared in the Red Storm's control when the two teams last met on Jan. 3 at Carnesecca Arena, but Butler downed then-15th-ranked St. John's 73-69, propelling the Bulldogs to wins in five of their past six games.

In Rysheed Jordan's absence, D'Angelo Harrison scored 31 points — one of five St. John's players who logged 34 minutes or more — but the shorthanded squad couldn't slow Kellen Dunham, who scored 28 points on 6-of-7 3-point shooting.

At this time last year, St. John's showed what it could be, beginning February with six straight wins after a slow start in conference. Center Chris Obekpa said he believes the team is capable of making a similar run this season.

"Now, it's time," Obekpa said. "At this stage, right now, we need every game, home and away. Every game is a championship game for us.

"It's like payback for us. We're looking forward to this game."

Harrison enters the game only three points shy of becoming the third-ever player in St. John's history to record 2,000 career points — joining Chris Mullin and Malik Sealy — but Sir'Dominic Pointer surprisingly enters as a legitimate Big East Player of the Year candidate.

Following an underwhelming junior season, Pointer has made a tremendous all-around leap, most notably picking up his play during a recent shaky shooting stretch from Harrison.

Over the past six games, Pointer is averaging 16.2 points, eight rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.5 blocks and 1.8 steals, while shooting 80 percent on free throws and over 49 percent from the field.

"Coach [Steve Lavin] has been telling me to shoot the ball and attack the rim since freshman year and it's just starting to come out," Pointer said. "Sometimes it takes longer for certain players to actually get it. I'm starting to get it now and the results are starting to come."

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