St. John’s has chance to ease any doubts in Kansas showdown

There have only been snippets of what this team can be, stretches when it is evident what the preseason hype was all about.

There was the dominant first half against MAAC contender St. Peter’s. The strong second half at improved Indiana. The crisp final 10 minutes to escape an upset at the hands of St. Francis Brooklyn. You think there is something special there in spurts, then reality — or in St. John’s case, a turnover — hits. There is so much work to be done, not nearly enough tangible evidence to form an opinion on what this group is yet.

Through six games, and five wins, there has been too much inconsistency and miscommunication to get a real feel for these new Johnnies, too much time in which they have looked like a group of strangers still adjusting to one another. And, to an extent, that is understandable. The roster has nine new players, five of them transfers. Adjustments are still being made.

Friday night, that can begin to change. Friday night, at brand-new UBS Arena at Belmont in front of its largest home crowd since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, St. John’s can show its fans — and the country — who it really is, and aspires to be, when it hosts eighth-ranked Kansas in the Big East-Big 12 Battle.

“We see the opportunity. It’s kind of hard to miss,” junior star Julian Champagnie said. “What I can tell you is that we’re going to play hard. We’re going to make mistakes — every team does — but we’re going to play through it and with a positive mindset and we’re going to run through brick walls to try to win this game.”

Posh Alexander and St. John’s get their biggest test of the season on Friday night.Corey Sipkin

It can ease the fan base’s concerns after three underwhelming victories. It can render the questions about the non-conference schedule mute. Remind everyone this is a season that can include the program’s first NCAA Tournament victory in 21 years.

After the narrow loss to Indiana, there was a natural letdown in lightly attended home games against low-major opponents FDU, St. Francis Brooklyn and NJIT, teams ranked 326, 333 and 264, respectively, by KenPom.com, the analytics website. St. John’s needed to rally from nine down in the final 10 minutes to knock off St. Francis. It blew a 16-point second-half lead in the overtime win over NJIT. It let FDU hang around in a 13-point victory.

The Johnnies did find a way to win each game, which should not be discounted. Winning ugly is an important trait for a team with big plans, no matter the opponent. It creates winning muscle memory.

There were reasons for those underwhelming performances. Sharpshooter Tareq Coburn (illness) and starting point guard Posh Alexander (calf strain) each missed a game; backup point guard Rafael Pinzon (fracture in his left ring finger) missed all three. Alexander wasn’t quite himself in all three games, while Pinzon may return against Kansas.

Shots didn’t fall, the Red Storm shooting 13 of 60 from 3-point range. Intensity was at times lacking, and so was focus. Turnovers remained an issue, an average of 15 in those games. More than anything, that’s been the focus this week, cutting down on the turnovers. Erasing the mistakes that have curtailed strong stretches and have led to runs for the opposition.

“You can’t afford to do that,” coach Mike Anderson said. “Live-ball turnovers — that costed us in the Indiana game.”

St. John’s, of course, is not alone in playing down to the competition. It’s happening across the country, big favorites struggling to put away inferior competition. Third-ranked Gonzaga had problems with Tarleton. No. 17 UConn didn’t put Maryland-Eastern Shore away until the final minutes. Seton Hall, ranked 21st, had its hands full with Bethune Cookman. And that was just in the past week.

Mike Anderson’s Red Storm squad is still figuring itself out this season.Corey Sipkin

But at some point, progress is needed, signs that this is going in the right direction. With up to 22 NBA scouts expected to be in attendance for Champagnie and Kansas stars Ochai Agbaji, David McCormack and Jalen Wilson, that’s what Friday night has to be about. Playing well and standing toe-to-toe with a national power. Proving that the early hype was warranted. Gaining confidence with the Big East season just over two weeks away.

“It’s a good test for us,” Anderson said. “It’s an opportunity for us to see where we are.”

The Big East looks like a looming minefield, with more depth and quality than was projected. Marquette and Providence, both of whom were picked lower than St. John’s, are already building strong résumés. Seton Hall, Xavier and UConn, all with significant wins, appear formidable. Villanova remains the conference’s best team, a Final Four contender.

This is the Johnnies’ turn, as a 7.5-point underdog. It’s a prime opportunity for a breakout performance that could set the tone for the rest of the season. A national audience and large crowd awaits.