NEW YORK — It had been 20 years since early season buzz surrounded St. John’s l like this. Twenty years since optimism was so potent, it warranted the Purple Storm renting out the constructing within the preliminary portion of the nonconference schedule. SJU final performed at Madison Sq. Backyard this early within the season manner again in 2003.
Hiring Rick Pitino adjustments quite a bit.
On Monday, although, it did not change the end result. Michigan simply dished Pitino his first loss at St. John’s, successful 89-73 after a laugher of a second half. It was U-M’s eleventh consecutive win on the Backyard.
Earlier than it completed in a whimper, the Backyard was buzzing for the Johnnies in a manner it seldom has over the earlier 15-plus years. A devil-red glow lit up the world pre-game. On the videoboard, a pre-recorded Pitino hype clip included the declaration: “St. John’s goes to be again, I assure it.”
“Run This City” blared over the audio system as pyrotechnics introduced 1000’s of SJU followers to their toes. This was to be the primary massive second for the Purple Storm of their new period. It was time for St. John’s to announce its first main assertion of the Pitino Period.
Michigan wasn’t excited about any of it.
Maybe later this season, or two or three years down the best way, we’ll witness St. John’s successful an NCAA Match recreation or two and look again on this dud of a debut at Madison Sq. Backyard with amusing. It is a humble begin, little doubt.
“They performed clever basketball. And we didn’t,” Pitino mentioned. “We performed like a group in early November. And that was a distinction within the recreation.”
Listed below are my three massive/prolonged takeaways from Michigan’s Monday night time mauling at MSG.
It appears most everybody was unsuitable on Michigan
Time for a mea culpa. I had Michigan 62nd heading into the season. Nobody was actually in on U-M — the Wolverines had been picked eleventh within the Large Ten — but few power-conference groups have been extra spectacular by means of three video games than this group.
Credit score to Michigan interim coach Phil Martelli for guiding the ship. With Juwan Howard nonetheless not able to return after current coronary heart surgical procedure, Martelli (a person with almost 450 wins, I am going to remind ya) has comfortably coached Michigan to a 3-0 begin with a median win margin of 24.7 factors over 2023 NCAA Match group UNC Asheville, Youngstown State and St. John’s.
“I am appropriately drained, and it feels good,” Martelli informed me afterward of quickly resuming his former position of working a program.
The Wolverines aren’t overloaded with expertise, however they appear to be a good unit thus far. At 18-16 final season, Michigan was a letdown (partially due to accidents). This group’s an offensive machine in the intervening time, dropping 89 or extra in all three video games; on Monday, it scorched St. John’s to the tune of 1.24 factors per possession.
“They’re gonna have a fantastic season,” Pitino mentioned. “I do not observe the Large Ten an excessive amount of, however there’s not too many groups higher than Michigan, I can guarantee you of that. As a result of they rating so properly. They rebound the ball. They share the ball.”
It is nonetheless unclear when Howard will come again, however between Martelli working the day-to-day, Howard Eisley enjoying offensive coordinator and Saddi Washington working the protection, that trio has numerous basketball brainpower. It is why I picked it as among the best teaching teams in faculty basketball this offseason.
As for the win and the setting, Martelli, a bona fide don of Philadelphia basketball, could not assist himself.
“You are gonna get pissed, however (Madison Sq. Backyard is): the second finest basketball enviornment within the nation,” he informed the media minutes after the win. “You are properly conscious the Palestra is the most effective basketball constructing in America.”
There could no be quick-fixing this St. John’s D
Once I sat down with Pitino at Large East Media Day in October, he was ebullient on all issues besides one. Pitino informed me his group’s defensive prowess was nowhere close to the extent it wanted to be to be able to have NCAA Match credentials. He mentioned he was bracing for the primary few weeks of the season, as a result of he sensed there was much more work to be achieved. A serious purpose for that was he introduced on numerous mid-major transfers from groups who weren’t above common final season.
With almost 5 a long time {of professional} basketball expertise, the person is aware of what he is speaking about. The Purple Storm was imponent defensively many of the night time. Which may even be placing it too properly. In truth, I am going to let Pitino’s phrases inform the story — succinctly. In his first postgame MSG presser in ages, he was rational however blunt.
Three pull-quotes:
- “Our frontcourt depth is horrible.”
- “Our offense shocked the s— out of me. Shocked the hell out of me that we did not share the ball.”
- “I at all times inform them … the movie by no means lies. It by no means lies. You recognize, whenever you watch a fantastic film, the identical issues are gonna occur in that film. They usually’re gonna watch it tomorrow, they’re gonna be very embarrassed at their play.”
The Johnnies had been listless all through the second half. Pitino acknowledged his group did not come near matching the fervor of the St. John’s followers (attendance on Monday night time: 14,188). His greatest stunner was how his group went limp on the offensive finish within the second half. The Purple Storm seemed content material to look at Michigan run away with the sport. It might be beautiful to see this sort of physique language and collective efficiency from this group by the center of convention play.
However to that time, Pitino mentioned, “We higher watch out now, as a result of this early schedule is hard.”
A pair minutes later, he deadpanned in regards to the schedule: “And the Large East might be a lot simpler.”
Few groups introduced extra intrigue — or hype — heading into November than St. John’s. We will name this precisely what it was: A flop. Pitino has a undertaking on his arms, maybe one in every of his more durable assignments of the previous 10 years (Louisville, Iona and the EuroLeague in that stretch). So, in typical Pitino trend, Monday night time didn’t conclude with him leaving MSG to go again dwelling to his cozy abode on the grounds of Winged Foot Golf Membership. The person is a preparation freak. He made certain a gathering room on the close by Renaissance Lodge was booked properly upfront, in case the coaches wanted it to evaluate video ASAP after a loss. Monday night time introduced alarming defea, which meant a research session was so as. Inside 90 minutes of the sport ending, the whole St. John’s workers was again on the group lodge and poring over the tape.
Dug McDaniel’s profession night time a significant Michigan growth
Michigan could be one of many 25 finest groups within the nation proper now, however St. John’s did not provide up sufficient of a resistance to precisely gauge the Wolverines’ potential. Regardless of that, two gamers supplied up a horizon of hope for this season.
Alabama switch Nimari Burnett opened his night time making his first eight pictures. He completed with 21 factors and was answerable for maintaining Michigan consistent with an excited St. John’s group within the first 10 minutes of the sport. He had a career-best 19 factors — with six minutes left within the first half.
“We settled in as a result of Nimari settled in,” Martelli mentioned.
The loopy half: Burnett was coming off a bagel a couple of nights earlier. He did not rating in opposition to Youngstown State. For all he did, it was sophomore level guard Dug McDaniel who was the MVP. He scored a game-high 26 factors, plus seven assists and 6 rebounds. McDaniel is listed at 5-foot-11, however I can report that is a traditional beneficiant media information enhance from his faculty.
If he’ll be THIS type of playmaker — a plot level few envisioned — then it may change Michigan’s calculus. Martelli informed me McDaniel’s had an enormous on-court and off-court maturation course of for the reason that spring. All of it culminated right into a profession night time on Monday. McDaniel is diminutive however demonstrative in his type. A enjoyable participant and will develop into among the best guards within the Large Ten. How a lot U-M has to depend on him might be key.
“He actually has to play (nearly) 40 minutes,” Martelli mentioned.
Michigan’s backup choices to run the offense are Burnett and not-ready-yet freshman George Washington. (Jaelin Llewellyn continues to be recovering from an ACL damage.)
Earlier than the sport, Michigan gamers had been donning these “MICHIGAN VS. EVERYBODY” shirts which have change into the soccer group’s rallying cry. In a manner, it prolonged to the boys’s hoops group because of the low-end projections from throughout the game. Motivation for this group? Not a lot, per the gamers.
“We do not actually pay an excessive amount of consideration to [preseason rankings],” McDaniel mentioned. “We do not take note of the surface noise. It is type of enjoyable being underdogs.”
A real check to their credentials will come subsequent week, when Michigan travels to the Bahamas to play within the Battle 4 Atlantis. A 2-1 or 3-0 document in that bracket will break this season large open. Here is to hoping Howard is wholesome and again on the sideline in time for that occasion.
