Saturday, December 7
New York, N.Y.
Noon
West Virginia University
at
St. John's
Photo by: Katie MacCrory
United Bank Playbook – St. John’s Preview
December 06, 2019 11:26 AM | Men's Basketball
| Tale of the Tape |  |
 |
|---|---|---|
| Points Per Game | 81.1 | 74.4 |
| Points Against | 67.2 | 63.0 |
| FG percentage | 43.6 | 43.0 |
| FG percentage defense | 37.8 | 37.0 |
| 3PT FG % defense | 35.6 | 30.9 |
| 3PT FG % defense | 31.3 | 28.4 |
| Free throw percentage | 65.0 | 69.7 |
| Rebounds for | 43.4 | 41.3 |
| Rebounds against | 39.1 | 32.9 |
| Personal fouls | 166 | 131 |
| Assists | 139 | 90 |
| Turnovers | 123 | 92 |
| Turnovers forced | 160 | 99 |
| Blocks | 50 | 34 |
| Steals | 83 | 55 |
Does that sound familiar?
Coach Mike Anderson's 7-2 Red Storm are a present version of what Bob Huggins established here at West Virginia with his "Press Virginia" brand of play that led to NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearances in 2015, 2017 and 2018 and was responsible for 105 victories over a four-year period.
"They're going to press and they're going to press multiple ways," Huggins said. "They're going to press diamond. They're going to box press us, they're going to man-to-man press us and they're going to run and jump us and the things Mike has done for a long time."
West Virginia no longer plays this way so it will be interesting to see how it handles St. John's full-court, frenetic method. Because of this, St. John's is never out of games, and its opponents are never out of them either.
Take for instance last Tuesday night's game against 1-4 St. Peter's at Carnesecca Arena.
St. John's built an early 22-point lead and led by 25 at the eight-minute mark in the second half before the Peacocks cut the margin to six with 1:05 to play.
Consequently, runs are going to come in waves.
"When you play that way you are going to play in streaks, and we did that when pressed all the time," Huggins explained.
The Red Storm are averaging 81.1 points and nearly 68 shot attempts per game, compared to their opponents' 62.
Conversely, West Virginia is putting up 59.4 shots per contests while its opponents' are attempting roughly 57, so something has to give.
"I think they are shooting the ball inside of 13 seconds on every possession, and they want to lead the country in possessions," Huggins said. "And they have some guys who can score it, so I think the thinking there is if they have more possessions than the other team they can outscore people."
Anderson, a Birmingham, Alabama, resident and a Nolan Richardson protégé, has spent his entire basketball career in the South, Midwest and the Southwest where he enjoyed successful coaching stints at UAB, Missouri and Arkansas before inheriting an NCAA-caliber roster from Chris Mullin at St. John's.
Two performers from last year's 21-13 St. John's squad are back, including leading scorer Mustapha Herron, a 6-5 senior guard and a former Auburn transfer.
The Waterbury, Connecticut, resident averaged 14.6 points and shot 40.3 percent from 3 last year and is putting up similar numbers through nine games this season, averaging 15 points and shooting at a 50-percent clip from 3.
L.L. Figeroa, a 6-6 junior guard from Lawrence, Massachusetts, has taken 15 more shot attempts than Herron and is averaging 14.7 points per game. Those two could present some matchup issues for the Mountaineers with their size out on the perimeter.
Julian Champagnie, a 6-8 freshman from Brooklyn, also possesses perimeter skills and is averaging 11.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.
Inside, St. John's has 6-9, 210-pound sophomore forward Josh Roberts from Troy, Alabama, who averages 8.1 points and 8.7 rebounds per outing.
The Red Storm's other starter is 6-3 senior guard Nick Rutherford from Indianapolis, who has handed out a team-best 28 assists so far this season.
"They've got size," Huggins said. "They throw a lot of 6-3 to 6-7, 6-8 guys out there."
Interestingly enough, just five players on the current St. John's roster hail from New York compared to when West Virginia and St. John's used to play regularly in the Big East and the Red Storm roster was predominantly made up of New Yorkers.
West Virginia (8-0) is making its first Madison Square Garden appearance since last year when it lost to Florida. The Mountaineers have played 79 times in the facility and have won there on 32 occasions, including three of the most noteworthy victories in school history.
The first big one came on March 17, 1942 when West Virginia upset Long Island, 58-49 in the opening game of the National Invitation Tournament and went on to defeat Toledo and Western Kentucky to claim the tournament championship.
The second big win occurred on Jan. 3, 1952 when West Virginia stunned sixth-ranked NYU in a surprisingly easy 100-75 triumph.
WVU's other red-letter victory in the Garden happened on March 13, 2010 when the Mountaineers held off 22nd-ranked Georgetown, 60-58 to claim their only Big East Tournament championship.
Huggins played there as a WVU sophomore, and he recalls what a memorable experience it was for him.
"To me (playing in the Garden) is a huge opportunity," he said. "I can remember as a sophomore getting ready to play in Madison Square Garden and I was giddy. I couldn't hardly wait to get out there and play and when we went there to practice we arrived a little early and the Knicks were out there.
"So Willis Reed is out there, (Dave) DeBusschere, (Walt) Frazier, Earl Monroe, Dick Barnett, Bill Bradley and the whole crew and I had to pinch myself sitting there watching those guys," he recalled. "Then Bradley stayed and shot for quite a while, and I think I saw him miss one shot."
Huggins continued, "I think (our players are) excited about. I don't know if it is as it once was, but that's the place. Like the old song, if you can make it there you can make it anywhere."
Tipoff for Saturday's game is noon and the contest will be televised nationally on FS1 (Brian Cluster and Jim Spanarkel).
The Mountaineer Sports Network radio coverage with Tony Caridi and Jay Jacobs will begin at 11 a.m. on affiliates throughout West Virginia and online via WVUsports.com and the popular mobile app WVU Gameday.
Saturday's contest will be the 38th time in a series West Virginia leads 20-17. The Mountaineers held a 13-7 edge against the Red Storm when the two were members of the Big East.
TV Highlights: WVU 71, Pitt 49
Friday, November 14
Ross Hodge | Pitt Postgame
Thursday, November 13
Harlan Obioha, Honor Huff & Jasper Floyd | Pitt Postgame
Thursday, November 13
Eaglestaff Drains the Three to Cap 14-0 WVU Run
Thursday, November 13
