courtside by Torch Online

D.J. KENNEDY

~ DA’SHENA STEVENS

2010-11 THE ANNUAL TORCH BASKETBALL MAGA ZINE

Steve Lavin Familiar face in a new place Women’s team prepares to be beasts in the Big East Sky and Coco fill the leadership void left by McCorvey and McManmon Big East previews for the men’s and women’s conferences

DWAYNE POLEE II

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to check out the new and improved Torch website:

torchonline.com With links to exclusive content, twitter updates, advertising rates, and more, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the number one source for all things Torch.

CONTENTS 10

A VIEW FROM COURTSIDE by Torch editorial board

Men’s

PROFILE: STEVE LAVIN

ONE MORE TIME

THE X-FACTOR

by Bill San Antonio by Bill San Antonio by Dylan Kitts

Women’s

FULL STEAM AHEAD

FOLLOW THE LEADERS

by Mike Cunniff by Mike Cunniff

Columns

ENTER SAN MAN

NO LONGER THE UNDERDOGS

37 24

by Bill San Antonio by Justin Thrift

Q&As Q&A WITH DA’SHENA STEVENS by Steve Sidoti

Q&A WITH D.J. KENNEDY by Mike Gurnis

COURTSIDE T H E A N N UA L TO R C H B A S K E T B A L L M AG A Z I N E

E D I TO R I A L BOA R D

Justin Thrift

Bill San Antonio

Nell O’Connor

Executive Editor

Managing Editor

Mark McDonald

Kristen Farmer

Brian Lopez

Editor-in-Chief

General Manager

Photography Editor

Asst. Photo Editor

Elizabeth Miller Layout Editor

C O P Y E D I TO R S Sara Cahill Marron Carolyn Wargula Dallas Scott

WRITERS Johan Acosta Katie Beckmann Mike Cunniff Timothy Gibbons

Cover photograph by Kristen Farmer Contents page photos by Brian Lopez

Mike Gurnis Dylan Kitts Steve Sidoti

Special thanks to Thomas Carnevale COURTSIDE

QUIET RIOT Despite a 3-for-9 shooting day, Daâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Shena Stevens led the Red Storm in rebounds (8) and steals (4) against Manhattan on Nov. 16.

Photograph by Brian Lopez

COURTSIDE

THROWIN’ DOWN Photograph by Kristen Farmer

Justin Brownlee puts the finishing touches on Steve Lavin’s first win as head coach of the men’s basketball team with a monster dunk late in the second half against Columbia.

COURTSIDE

LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL Members of the men’s basketball team react to Justin Burrell’s alley-oop midway through the second half against Columbia on Nov. 18.

Photograph by Brian Lopez

COURTSIDE

STAFF EDITORIAL

Photograph by Brian Lopez

A VIEW FROM COURTSIDE

he current St. John’s student body has never seen the men’s basketball team have a winning season. They have never seen a team come close to winning an NCAA championship. The expectation of bringing glory back home to Queens has long been forgotten. This year, things are different, for the first time in a long time. Both the men’s and the women’s teams have been hot topics in preseason discussions. The previously overlooked women’s team was ranked fifth in the Big East conference and 24th in the nation. The men, led by new head coach Steve Lavin, have been placed at sixth in the Big East and have been tapped to win it all by legendary Louisville coach Rick Pitino. At St. John’s, students, faculty and even administrators have been buzzing about the upcoming season. With two strong and determined teams, expectations and enthusiasm are higher than they have been in a long time. Even here at the Torch, we have been unable to completely separate ourselves from all of the excitement. The planning of Courtside has been a topic of discussion since early on in the summer, before anything was certain. Now, what is certain is that the St. John’s basketball program is slowly but surely beginning to resemble its former self. The first game of the season in Carnesecca was played in front of a sold out crowd, all of whom were eager to see the first game of the Lavin era. The women’s team, fresh off their winning season and NCAA appearance last year, are coming back stronger than ever, determined to go further and get even closer to winning it all. In recent years, the general attitude about the St. John’s basketball programs had been one of disappointment and neglect. The men’s team, which was essentially on life support, plagued by injuries and a perpetual state of misdirection, continually let fans down. The women’s team struggled to receive the attention they deserved as they grew and succeeded under the direction of head coach Kim Barnes Arico. The attitude towards the basketball team and the entire University has gone from one of disappointment to excitement. The changes made

COURTSIDE

to the basketball teams have changed the culture of St. John’s. Before they had to institute MVP points and incentives just to fill the stands. Now tickets are hard to come by and students look forward to seeing the Red Storm on the court. The hope of seeing a successful basketball season is more exciting than a free gift. So far, Lavin has done more than just revitalize a struggling basketball program. The excitement he has generated has spurred students to become more involved, something that the University has struggled with. This year, however, has seen a definite spike in attendance at events. This isn’t to say that Lavin is the answer to all of the University’s problems. While he may have been the first step, there is still more work to be done. For both sports and in life, getting people on board with the cause is always the hardest part. Now that people are on board, we cannot lose momentum. The 2010-11 basketball season will be a defining moment for the program and the University. Both teams have to succeed in order to maintain the respect and devotion they have finally received. Winnings seasons and, ideally, two new banners hanging from the rafters would be the storybook ending. Just because they might not achieve that perfect finish does not mean that success is out of reach for these two teams. Gaining back the respect of their peers and former critics as they work towards becoming a powerhouse once again will make a world of difference. Still, the fans need to realize that rebuilding is a process. This season, though pivotal, will only be a preview of what is to come. Lavin has been recruiting all over the country this year, but the fruit of his labors will not be fully understood until the 2011-2012 season. Barnes Arico has a young team that is determined to get better through hard work and making it further in the NCAA Tournament. We at the Torch are eager to see how this season plays out. We hope that the fans of the Red Storm stand by their teams and support them as they work towards their goals. We hope that the teams realize what they have accomplished so far but don’t lose sight of what they can accomplish in the future.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

COURTSIDE

ENTER SAN MAN

A MATCH MADE IN BASKETBALL HEAVEN

t’s fun to be that objective third wheel of a relationship sometimes. No, I’m serious—you know the couple before they start dating, before they know each other, as single people. You’re around for that moment when they first meet, when they look into each other’s eyes dumbfounded for the first time, when that cat-and-mouse courtship game begins. If all goes well and they hit it off, they’ll start dating, and you’ll look at your friends differently, now as a single entity, like Bennifer or Brangelina. After awhile, it’ll seem as though they were meant for each other all along— obvious to you in hindsight—and you’ll have trouble thinking back to a time when they weren’t together. When St. John’s fired Norm Roberts as its head men’s basketball coach in mid-March, it was like seeing the very end of that relationship play out. We had all known for some time that the couple was doomed—Roberts had been with the program for six seasons and had only produced two teams with winning records—we were just waiting for them to realize it, too. The breakup seemed fairly mutual, considering both parties shared nothing but kind words after it had all ended, but St. John’s couldn’t afford to stay single for long. It needed a new partner, and fast. We all knew its “type”—an established, high-profile coach with the ability to recruit from coast to coast, someone the school could lean on to restore it to prominence in the college basketball world, someone who wouldn’t mind being compared to the legendary Lou Carnesecca and could handle the vicious New York media with class—it just had to get back into the dating world. One by one, friends started spreading gossip—St. John’s wanted Florida’s Billy Donovan, Louisville’s Rick Pitino, Georgia Tech’s Paul Hewitt, Boston College’s Al Skinner, Siena’s Fran McCaffery. The coaches were flattered, but each was already in a committed relationship, and rejected the Johnnies like the head cheerleader crushing a computer geek. Thanks, each told St. John’s, but no thanks. The Johnnies took it all in stride—after

BILL SAN ANTONIO EXECUTIVE EDITOR

MOST BOYFRIENDS BUY CANDY AND FLOWERS — LAVIN’S PRACTICALLY BOUGHT A SMALL ISLAND IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC AND A SOLID GOLD HELICOPTER all, you don’t want someone who doesn’t want you, right? Surely, the school didn’t want to hire someone just to save face, so it let some time pass, hoping Mr. Right would eventually come along. And then it happened. In the Godfather, Michael Corleone is struck by the “thunderbolt,” the Sicilian equivalent of the concept of love at first sight, the very first time he lays eyes on Apollonia. A very short time passes, and then the two are married. You could say the same happened to St. John’s in late March, when it was seduced by former UCLA coach and ESPN analyst Steve Lavin. He certainly met the criteria: six straight NCAA Tournament berths while coaching in the shadow left by John Wooden, countless players of his having moved on to NBA stardom, celebrity throughout the college basketball world. It didn’t hurt, either, that he had a deep California tan, pearly white teeth

and, at 46 years old, youth—to potentially make a long-term commitment to the school, of course. The Johnnies were infatuated, so they pounced, and the hiring—the anniversary, for all intents and purposes—was announced on March 31. At a private ceremony held at Taffner Field House, before God, administration, students, and Coach Carnesecca, the two made it official, without first updating Facebook statuses: Steve Lavin had become the head coach of the St. John’s men’s basketball team. Now, I know what you’re thinking. This is when the fun starts. We’re happy for the new couple, sure, but it’s just a matter of time before the dopamine stops flowing and the two start to hate each other. So far, well, it hasn’t happened. In fact, the relationship has seemed all but perfect. Lavin’s done nothing but good for the program, securing the interest of a dwindling fan base and expanding the notoriety of St. John’s basketball from coast to coast by recruiting some of the top high school players from across the nation. Most boyfriends buy candy and flowers for their lovers—Lavin’s practically bought a small island in the south pacific and a solid gold helicopter, and we’re not even at conference play yet. St. John’s, I just hope you appreciate him—for all you’re getting now, and all that’s still to come. I hope you see how cunning an individual he is. I hope you see what a visionary he is. I hope you see how sharp a dresser he is. But I’m most concerned with you seeing what can happen if and when these qualities eventually join forces and manifest. The outcome could be bigger than LeBron and Bosh taking their talents to South Beach. St. John’s, I’m here to tell you that whatever you saw in your head as you read the words above, well, you didn’t dream big enough. I don’t think you’ve even begun to fathom just how significant a time this is for your community. But that’s OK—you’ll see for yourself very soon. Because it certainly seems as though St. John’s and Steve Lavin are a match made in heaven. COURTSIDE

COURTSIDE

STEVE LAVIN HOW THE NEW MEN’S BASKETBALL COACH WENT FROM THE BROADCAST BOOTH TO THE SIDELINES TO REVIVE THE ST. JOHN’S PROGRAM by Bill San Antonio

Steve Lavin

brought his SoCal style to New York when he took over as men’s basketball coach in March.

Photograph by Brian Lopez

hey lined up one by one in the bowels of Taffner Field House, with arms folded and sweatshirt hoods covering their faces. Keeping away from the shutters and flashes of photographers’ cameras, they stood off to the side, behind the journalists and away from any St. John’s students and administrators lucky enough to be in attendance. As minutes passed, more filed in, each taking up another spot in that line and raising his eyebrows higher than the last, each a bit more skeptical about what lay ahead. For the last few weeks, their collective future was uncertain, and today would be the first time in a long time that their questions would be answered. They read the headlines and all the stories about St. John’s going after Billy Donovan and Rick Pitino, about tri-state rivals Rutgers and Seton Hall filling their head coaching vacancies, about the program willing to spend big money for a big name but each big name turning down offers exceeding $1 million per season. The core members of the men’s basketball team—Malik Boothe, D.J. Kennedy, Paris Horne, Sean Evans, Justin Burrell, the faces beneath the hoods that day—had witnessed the firing of their coach, Norm Roberts, and experienced firsthand the ambiguous whirlwind associated with finding his replacement. Protected by a savvy public relations team, they remained tight-lipped and as in the dark about the situation as their St. John’s classmates, as their athletic program vigorously searched for a successor. As the day’s events unfolded on March 31, they would all be formally introduced to Steve Lavin, that guy who used to coach over at UCLA, one of the many mentored by the legendary John Wooden. Lavin, the guy they’d all seen on ESPN with the deep Californian tan and Hollywood wife, the one who preached responsibility and character in between his commentary during Big 10 games. That guy—the one sitting at the center of the dais nervously

tapping his foot while the Rev. Donald J. Harrington, St. John’s president and his new boss, introduced him to his Red Storm family. Him, that guy—he would be their new head coach. “We had a really strong relationship with coach Roberts, so it was really tough for us,” senior forward Justin Burrell said. “We weren’t really sure what we were getting ourselves into [with Lavin]. We were a little scared—guys wouldn’t admit it, but you could tell.” Why Lavin tapped his foot is anyone’s guess—perhaps a nervous habit associated with shyness in speaking before unfamiliar audiences, or maybe it had something to do the recent lack of sleep that comes with flying cross-country and hastily taking meetings with St. John’s brass about his new job—but certainly it was justified. As a 32-year-old first-time head coach in 1996, he took a stagnant UCLA program, one prided on its rich tradition and patriarchal Hall of Fame coach, to six-straight NCAA Tournament appearances and three straight trips to the Sweet Sixteen. Now, at 45, he was being asked to do it all again, to revive the seventhwinningest program in college basketball ironically longing for a return to the glory days of seasons’ past. “I really do feel instinctively that this is a natural fit, and with this reception, you can’t help but feel that you do belong,” Lavin said. “That says a lot about the people here, the community, the culture of this place—it’s really special. New York City, Madison Square Garden, the Big East, the tradition—how do you beat that? I was fortunate to be at one of those schools at UCLA, and now to be at another, in one lifetime, is something that is humbling.” New York City welcomed Lavin with open arms, as did the college basketball world. In taking over a roster with 10 seniors, Lavin would be taking on a veteran roster enriched with potential and COURTSIDE

LAVIN BY THE NUMBERS 8

Recruits to sign National Letters of Intent for the Class of 2011 during early signing period

team chemistry in his first year. Many analysts immmediately predicted that the Red Storm would reach the NCAA Tournament, and the Johnnies earned the No. 6 ranking in the Big East Preseason Coaches Poll. “Coach Roberts did an excellent job of stabilizing the program over the last six years and did some real positive things

“

“We had a really strong relationship with coach Roberts, so it was really tough for us,” senior forward Justin Burrell said. “We weren’t really sure what we were getting ourselves into [with Lavin]. We were a little scared—guys wouldn’t admit it, but you could tell.”

6 ESPN Top 100 recruits inked to Letters of Intent during early signing period

3 St. John’s current recruiting class rank for the 2010-11, according to ESPNU

St. John’s preseason Big East ranking going into the 2010-11 season

6 NCAA Tournament appearances made by UCLA during Lavin’s tenure

4 Sweet Sixteen appearances made by Lavin’s UCLA teams 16

COURTSIDE

faces along the amateur basketball circuit and he wasted no time in doing so. According to a Daily News report, Lavin fielded some 1,400 phone calls and text messages during a lunch date in Chelsea with his wife, actress Mary Ann Jarou, just after he agreed to a 6-year, $9 million deal with St. John’s. The purpose of so many people blowing up his iPhone?

with this group of young people,” Lavin said. “It’s just being mindful and flexible to adapting to this particular team and as we go each day we get a better sense and feel for their strengths, individually and also collectively as a team. “That’s the way the coaches that I had mentored me—going back to mom and dad raising a family of six, and being around the Pete Newells and the John Woodens and even coach [Gene] Keady,” he added. “These coaches, over the course of their careers, have demonstrated a propensity for flexibility—flexible offense, flexible defense and adapting and adjusting to your personnel, not just from year to year but October to April, but over the course of a season.”

t. John’s hired Steve Lavin to be Norm Roberts’ antithesis—to compete not just on the court, but in the recruiting game as well. During the Roberts era, St. John’s missed out on numerous New York City talents who were all recruited to other programs throughout the Big East. In hiring Lavin—who recruited the likes of NBA stars Baron Davis, Trevor Ariza and Jason Kapono to UCLA—St. John’s sent a message throughout the conference, and even the country at large, that the Red Storm would become a force in annual recruiting, especially considering 10 scholarships needed to be filled for the 2011-12 season. To do that, Lavin surmised he’d have to gather a coaching staff of some of the most knowledgeable and recognizable

”

To offer their congratulations, yes, but also returning Lavin’s messages for openings beside him on the bench. “Clearly, you need to protect your backyard, number one, and the Northeast, number two, and then the occasional Midwest [player], the occasional international [player] to compliment your base and your foundation, which is going to be here in the Northeast and New York City in particular,” Lavin said. That first hire would fill the link between Lavin—whose personal recruiting strength comes primarily from the west coast and Big 10 states, as the bulk of his analyst work—and New York City. Tony Chiles, who played his college ball at Columbia and was an assistant coach at Manhattan and Iona as well as a recruiter at Drexel, was hired on April 9 with the task of familiarizing Lavin with the City as well as providing high school and AAU coaches with the

Photograph by Kristen Farmer

A FRESH ATTITUDE

[Above] Lavin talks to Malik Boothe during a timeout. [Opposite page] A fiery Lavin receives a technical foul in the season opener against St. Mary’s on Nov. 16. confidence in sending their players to St. John’s, which had been lacking prior to Lavin’s hiring. In order to attract big-time players to a program, there has to be a link between the school and the NBA. Lavin knew this when he hired Rico Hines 10 days after Chiles joined his staff. Hines, who played for Lavin at UCLA, had spent the last four years as a player/athletic development assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors. The bulk of Hines’ work with the Warriors included offseason conditioning for the likes of Davis, Monta Ellis, and 2009-10 Rookie of the Year finalist Stephon Curry, who set the rookie record for 3-pointers made with 166. “When working out with Rico, he gives you a blueprint to what is going to improve your skill set while making you a more confident and able player,” Curry said. “It was a pleasure to work with Rico and I feel that he was instrumental in the success that I experienced during my rookie year.” Things then started happening even faster for Lavin’s young program. With two veteran assistant coaches by his side, Lavin

all the platforms, from radio to dot-com to the in-studio shows, and I think that’s a positive in putting a bit of a spotlight on St. John’s,” Lavin said. Not that his program needed it, really. When the Red Storm took the floor against St. Mary’s in the wee hours of Nov. 16 on the east coast, seven players from the Class of 2011 had signed National Letters of Intent to play for the Red Storm. When the early signing period ended two days later, another player, 6-foot-6 forward Amir Garrett, had made his commitment to the Johnnies as well. Of those players, six—Garrett, 6-foot-8 guard/forward Maurice Harkless, 6-foot-3 combo guard D’Angelo Harrison, 6-foot-3 point guard Nurideen LindPhotograph by Brian Lopez sey, 6-foot-6 combo guard Sir’Dominic Pointer and signed his first player, forward Dwayne 6-foot-7 forward Jakarr SampPolee II, from Los Angeles on May 8. son—were regarded in the consensus Top On May 14, former Cal assistant Derrick 100 of various recruiting websites. Wrobel joined Lavin’s staff. In early June, When the dust settled and the early Lavin made one of the most respected signing period ended, ESPN’s recruiting AAU administrators in New York City website slotted the Red Storm at No. 3 in history, Moe Hicks, his Director of Men’s overall recruiting for the 2011 class. Basketball Operations, serving as another link to the City’s talent. On June 15, Lavin ven though Steve Lavin won the hired Mike Dunlap as an assistant coach. early recruiting game, he iniLavin even hired Gene Keady, under tially lost on the court. The Red whom he was an assistant at Purdue from Storm lost that road game against 1988-91, as a special assistant and advisor St. Mary’s, 76-71, but with it came the to the team. opportunity to win his first game at CarAs quickly as he had been hired, Lavin nesecca Arena against Columbia on Nov. had built the foundation of his program. 17. Though St. John’s trailed at halftime, a strong second-half surge behind Kennedy n compiling the Red Storm’s noncon- and a tenacious zone defense gave Lavin ference schedule for his inaugural sea- his first win. A teary-eyed Lavin left the son in Queens, Steve Lavin finagled court to chants of “Steeeve La-Vin!” from a road match with St. Mary’s, which the voracious student section. reached the Sweet 16 last year, during ES“He tells us to embrace basketball,” PN’s third-annual College Hoops Tip-Off Horne said after. “He makes it fun—makes Marathon. While Lavin’s initial goal was to practice fun. He tells us to enjoy the game, prepare his team for hostile road environ- enjoy the wins.” ments (St. Mary’s McKeon Pavilion holds After the game, the entire roster signed 3,500 people), the move did not come with- the game ball and the core of the team—the out other favorable circumstances. 10 seniors whose future had been in limbo “It also puts us on national TV right just eight months prior—presented it to around the signing period, which is a real him, in congratulations on a job well done, plus having been at ESPN—that 24-hour a win well deserved, and a future that had kickoff gets branded in a lot of ways on only just begun.

ONE MORE TIME FOR THE TEN SENIORS ON THE MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM, THIS SEASON IS THEIR LAST SHOT AT REACHING THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

by Bill San Antonio Photograph by Brian Lopez

D.J. KENNEDY

and Dwight Hardy [receiving pass] are two of the 10 seniors returning to the Red Storm this season. COURTSIDE

Photograph by Brian Lopez

t. John’s got more than a new head coach in Steve Lavin—it got some perspective. “We talked right from the beginning, let’s be honest and deal in realism: We were tied for thirteenth place [in the Big East] last year,” Lavin said. “There’s no positive in that. Now let’s examine why we finished tied for thirteenth and begin to work on those very specific areas so we can increase or enhance the odds of being more successful.” Plenty of sports writers and basketball websites peg the Red Storm as a potential NCAA bubble team this year—the team even earned the No. 6 ranking in the annual Big East Preseason Coaches Poll. But, according to their head coach, those things don’t come to fruition unless there is improvement, and Lavin, a former ESPN analyst, has already easily identified what needs the most improvement.

“

“We tied for thirteenth place [in the Big East] last year,” Lavin said. “There’s no positive in that.”

”

“Those areas,” Lavin said, “right from the outset—I put them on our white board—free throw shooting, sixty-five percent, that’s going to cost you if you’re going to play a championship level of basketball; turnovers, which are empty possessions, and an empty possession means we didn’t get a shot on the rim, didn’t give ourselves a chance

20 COURTSIDE

WELCOME HOME

to get fouled or give our[Above] Players of the men’s selves a second shot, team are introduced to the crowd and when we don’t give before their home opener. [Opposite ourselves a chance to do page] The team discusses strategy in a huddle during a game. those things it also means you’re not getting to the double bonus soon enough so you shoot two free throws every foul. The last was poor shot selection. Sometimes they were bad shots and sometimes they were quick shots and there’s a difference between the two, and you have to define those differences because sometimes a quick shot is an open shot but it becomes a deflating play that leads to runouts for the opponent or allows a team to get back into a game when maybe you had a chance to put them away.” During practices in the summer and fall, the Red Storm paid attention to the finer details of basketball, details you might miss on SportsCenter highlights. The mostly-inseparable core of Malik Boothe, D.J. Kennedy, Justin Burrell, Sean Evans, and Paris Horne became even more inseparable, learning the nuances about each other’s individual games as they were about their own style of play. “Knowing what a guy likes and what he doesn’t like could do a lot in our turnover ratio,” Burrell said. “Say Sean doesn’t like going to the basket on the left-hand side, and I didn’t know that. I wouldn’t want to give it to him there if I knew he wasn’t comfortable there. So the little things like that make a big difference.” To improve free throw percentage, Lavin’s staff pointed out inconsistencies in the players’ techniques during drills, preaching that it is better to miss at the back of the rim than at the front, and to keep

elbows tucked in. Through the Red Storm’s first two games, the technique appeared to be working, as the team shot 23-of-27 from the line against St. Mary’s and 13-of-20 against Columbia. “A lot of repetition,” Evans said. “Every five, six minutes we’re shooting free throws, constantly throughout a practice. By the end, we’ll shoot, who knows, three, four hundred free throws, and we’ll take extra work at the end.” But to address the final problem, poor shot selection—and a perpetual lack of offensive consistency, really—the Johnnies did two things. First, it brought in Dwayne Polee II from Los Angeles, who won the California Player of the Year award in averaging a double-double for Westchester High School last year, and set him loose on opponents. Polee had 16 points in his debut against St. Mary’s and impressed at both ends of the floor. Midway through the second half, Polee blocked a shot, ran the floor, and hit a 3-pointer on the Red Storm’s next possession. “We knew coming in that his athletic ability was right there at the top and he comes from a great basketball program at Westchester high school, a basketball powerhouse out in California,” Lavin said. “He’s put on ten pounds, but if he continues to put on some strength and some weight, he’s going to be someone who makes big contributions, not just as a freshman, but down the line for our program.” The other thing was seeing the improvement of those already in the program. Often, a player can feel rejuvenated with a new head coach, and Lavin’s noticed such rejuvenation in Dwight Hardy and Justin Brownlee. “Dwight Hardy is as good a shooter as I’ve ever coached,” Lavin said. “[ Jason] Kapono, from long range, had Reggie Miller range, but Hardy’s right there with Kapono, if not better in certain ways. Hardy’s not just a great shooter but he’s playmaking well for us and can play some point guard at certain times.” Though Hardy struggled in the first two games, going a combined 0-for-10 from 3-point range and just 4-for-20 from the field, he’s developed a different frame of mind for when he’s on the floor, which has led to an increase in his assist totals. “Last year, I wasn’t thinking ‘score first,’ I was thinking ‘pass first.’ This year, coach tells me to think to score first but also get my teammates involved.” If the changes work for the senior-laden Johnnies, they could very well live up to the attention they’ve received. However, if they don’t, the results are final, the seniors will graduate, and a new band of Red Storm players will suit up next year. “We say every year that we know what it takes to win, but I feel like we’re at the point where we’re like, ‘this is it. There’s no more room for error,” Evans said. “I think in the back of our minds, we’re always thinking, ‘wait until next year, wait until next year.’ But there is no next year.”

Photograph by Kristen Farmer COURTSIDE

THE X-FACTOR: POLEE, THE “FIRST” RECRUIT by Dylan Kitts

uring an open gym practice in late August, Dwayne Polee, “We want to recruit nationally here,” Lavin said. “We want to proII saw a play develop on defense and sprang into action. tect our backyard but not rely on it. When we could get the best CaliThe freshman guard from Los Angeles rushed across the fornia player, it’s a way to give empirical evidence that we are serious floor from the weak side and blocked a dunk attempt, about recruiting coast to coast.” wowing his teammates with his athleticism. Polee also contacted current New Orleans Hornets guard “He looked like LeBron,” senior guard D.J. Kennedy said. “The and former Lavin recruit Trevor Ariza. Ariza, Polee says, gave the block was really impressive.” head coach very high remarks, saying he was a players-first coach “He’s special. You cannot teach some things he has. He’s and helped develop him for the pros. “He’s not only going to a great fit for this team. His athleticism, defense, dunking coach you on the floor but he could talk to you about situations ability, he’s real good.” off the floor too,” Polee said Ariza told him. So good that the men’s basketball proPolee was Lavin’s first St. John’s regram can’t wait to get him on the floor and cruit—the first of many still to come, let him loose. the first to say “Yes” to the resurrec“I’ve become more aware of how importion of the St. John’s men’s basketball tant he is to this team, this year,” head coach program. Polee is the trailblazer the Steve Lavin said. “He has the versatility to Red Storm needed to begin that resurplay four spots on the floor. He gives us depth rection, the “X-factor” not just on the on the front line and perimeter. He’s our Xfloor—he went 6-for-9 from the field factor this season. in his first game against Westmont, “He’s a unique, electrifying athlete. He’s scoring 12 points in 18 minutes—but been well-groomed at Westchester along with to also serve as the model for which his great pedigree. He has athleticism no one future Red Storm players will follow. can teach. He hustles, runs the floor.” “He’s so personable,” Lavin said. He impressed those in California, too. “He’s so unassuming; you can’t help The combo-forward was named the Califorbut to like him. If he came here with nia State Player of the Year and the Los Anany ego, it would not have worked. geles City Section Player of the Year last year. With ten seniors, I think he would His Westchester Comets went 32-3 on their have created friction. Instead, the way to a second-straight Division I title in his whole team has took him under their senior year. He led his team with averaging wing, to nurture him. He’s a guy evclose to 21 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks eryone is rooting for.” per game. Polee has people rooting for him That Polee is even suiting up for the Red from coast to coast, from rabid St. Storm at all is impressive. He had initially John’s fans to his high school coach committed to USC after considering Oregon, in Los Angeles, who thinks St. John’s Georgia and UNLV, but Lavin’s hiring at St. may have a future All-American wearJohn’s in March made him change his mind. ing No. 0 this season. “He was in love with Coach Lavin,” Pol“St. John’s is getting a great player ee’s father told the Los Angeles Times. “Lavin and a great person in Dwayne,” Polee’s is a West Coast guy and he was comfortable high school coach, Ed Azzam told with him.” the Red Storm Report, Rivals, Inc.’s Indeed, the USC-UCLA rivalry extended St. John’s basketball site. “He is one to the east coast, as the former UCLA coach of the best athletes I ever coached. pried him away from Southern Cal and into Dwayne has excellent offensive skills New York City. Lavin’s successful recruitand athleticism, but the best thing ment of Polee also put a stamp on his plan may be that he is still developing. In of national recruiting, setting off a chain of his next couple of years as a collegian, recruiting that has reached Texas, Michigan I believe he has a chance to be an Photograph by Kristen Farmer All-American.” and Ohio for the Class of 2011.

22 COURTSIDE

& QA WITH D.J. KENNEDY by Mike Gurnis

THE “HITMAN” TALKS STEVE LAVIN, THE NBA, AND THE JOHNNIES’ CHANCES AT THE NCAA TOURNAMENT THIS SEASON Torch: You guys have a core of ten seniors, you’ve been together since you were freshmen with the exception of Dwight Hardy and Justin Brownlee. You were all recruited by Norm Roberts, you were coached by him, and now there’s somebody else leading you all. Does it feel strange to look around and not see Coach Roberts? D.J. Kennedy: I mean at first it felt strange—anytime you lose somebody close, like family to you—it’s always a little hard at first. But it’s a business at the end of the day, things change, and you have to take things how they come and be ready to adjust. That’s basically what we did. At first it was hard for all of us, but we were able to adjust and we realized that we’ve got to move on, can’t keep looking back. We give a lot of respect to and keep in touch with Coach Roberts, but it’s just a different day. What’s been the difference so far between the way that Coach Lavin has prepared you to play and the way that Coach Roberts prepared you in the past? It’s just more responsibility, little room for mistakes. I feel like that’s been the biggest thing, his staying on us and staying on top of us, and it’ll be a lot easier in the games. Basically the little things; you catch a lot of the little things and we clean all the little things up, and last year, that’s what kind of hurt us in a lot of games. We always had a lead, but we let the little things slip. So I feel like he’s cleaning up all the little things and that’s going to help us this year. What kind of difference can a new coaching staff really have on a team that’s been together for so long and has gone through as much as you have, and what more potential can Coach Lavin tap from your team? There’s a lot of experience. Just bringing in a new coach can help the program out a lot by bringing new energy to St. John’s. For the fans, everyone’s excited about this year. We’re looking forward to having a great year with Coach Lavin, and he brought in a great staff. What have your feelings been about how quickly Lavin has come and completely changed the atmosphere of the program from the recruits he’s signed, to the sheer positivity that’s been generated on campus and through the media? There’s a lot of background with Coach Lavin. He comes from a winning program, one of the top programs in the country with UCLA, so I’m sure he’s used to doing things a certain type of way. He’s looked up to Coach Keady, and John Wooden, so

24 COURTSIDE

I’m sure he’s got a different style, and he just looks to get the best players and expect the best. Four years ago, there weren’t many people high on this group. Now four years later, your team has been picked sixth in the Big East Preseason rankings, and even Rick Pitino gave you a first place vote. How do you assess the last four years in terms of how you’ve grown together as a group? Anytime you can have ten seniors who have been together for four years, it doesn’t matter what program and where it’s at, it’s always high expectations, from the experience they have with each other and the growth they’ve been through in four years. I feel like that’s why a lot of people expect so much from us this year, being together four years and a lot of experience in the Big East. Experience is everything—that’s the key to winning the Big East. I feel like that’s why people think the sky is the limit for us. What did you take away from your experience in the NIT last year? I was glad we got the opportunity to play in the NIT, definitely. We just have to take the losing game—like I said before the little things—we were one play away from going to the next round, just like the Big East Tournament, we were one play away also. So basically it’s about the little things and understanding the season isn’t over, and you try to play until April. A lot of people probably get tired down the stretch in April, so I feel like that’s where all the experience is going. It helps us out for this year. The general consensus has been that this team could very well finish near the top of the Big East conference, or finish the way Providence did a few years ago. They had a new head coach and a middle-of-the-road veteran team. Obviously you want to win the conference, but what is the realistic expectation that your team has for yourselves? The NCAA Tournament—that’s what we focus on, that’s our goal, and that’s all we’re looking forward to. I mean, you take it one step at a time, but at the end of the day that’s what our goal is. Ten seniors, it’s our last go at it, and we just want to leave on a good note. Despite all of the peachy feelings that have surrounded the program so far, you have met your first bit of adversity with the loss of Justin Burrell for an extended period of time with a hand injury. How much of a part of your overall system under Coach Lavin had he been up to that point, and how have you had to readjust yourselves to accommodate for his loss?

He really isn’t missed. Of course it hurts for him not to be on the court, but at the same time, you just have to take a negative and turn it into a positive. He’s definitely been great about it—of course he’s

not happy that he’s hurt—but he’s doing little things like making sure he’s staying in shape, so he can be ready when he gets back on the court. He isn’t expected to be out for too much longer, so he’ll definitely

D.J. KENNEDY, G/F Steve Lavin has called on Kennedy to be the leader of the Red Storm this year (1), as the guard led the team in rebounding last year (2), and can create offense off the drive (3) and after he picks up his dribble (4).

be ready. [Ed. Note—Burrell returned for the start of the regular season] Last year you sort of established yourself as a standout leader for the team, you became a fan-favorite, led the team in points, rebounds, total assists, minutes, and you noticeably improved your game from sophomore to junior year. How do you account for those changes, and how do you plan to elevate your game even more this year? I don’t really look at all the stats. It’s not about the stats. As you can see from the stats, they didn’t take us too far, so I’m not really worried about the stats. I’m just trying to do whatever it takes to make sure we win more games. Stats could go up, stay the same, or go down. As long as we’re winning, it’s all that will matter to me. Your name has circulated as a possible NBA draft pick next summer, and you’ve got a lot of NBA ties that are close to you, from your father’s playing days, to playing with Anthony Mason Jr., and your friendship with DeJuan Blair, your high school teammate. How do you keep striving toward that goal of reaching the NBA without losing sight of the Big East and NCAA goals ahead? I just have to keep working hard, stay humble, and just be thankful for every day. That’s all it is, there’s no magic to success, just got to work hard and take it one step at a time, and everything else will work itself out. Do you get the sense that there’s a sort of storybook ending that’s going to be in store for you guys? You came into a fairly negative situation four years ago, had to go through the rigors of playing high-octane college basketball as underclassmen, and now you’ve got a chance at redemption and new fortune with a new coach? I definitely feel like there’s history in the making. With the situation when we came in as freshman and how the program was, we can leave on a good note and turn the program around, so there’s definitely a story written behind it, and that’s all we’re trying to do, just trying to leave on a good note. That’s the reason why a lot of us came here. We saw a negative situation, and we wanted to be a part of that group that turned it around.

Photographs by Brian Lopez COURTSIDE

ST. JOHN’S AND SETON HALL ARE JUST TWO OF THE MANY BIG EAST TEAMS DEBUTING NEW HEAD COACHES IN 2010-11 by Johan Acosta Paris Horne Photograph by Brian Lopez Jamel Jackson Photograph by Kristen Farmer

26 COURTSIDE

ig-name players are what have always made the Big East the toughest conference in all of college basketball. Just last season, the conference had Wesley Johnson, Luke Harangody, Scottie Reynolds, Lance Stephenson, Samardo Samuels and Greg Monroe going at each other on a nightly basis. With each of those guys having moved on, the Big East has to renew its stars— but it may be its plethora of hot new coaches that makes the most noise in 2010-11. This year the spotlight has been placed upon Steve Lavin, the former UCLA headman who has taken on the challenge of resurrecting the St. John’s Red Storm. Lavin got to work quickly, changing the mostly-negative cultural atmosphere that St. John’s had become known for by recruiting Dwayne Polee II out of Los Angeles and then six Top 100 recruits in the Class of 2011 [as of Nov. 14], according to ESPN, before the regular season began. “When a new coach comes in with a new brand of basketball, there’s an excitement behind it,” said Louisville head coach Rick Pitino, who gave St. John’s a first-place vote in the Big East Preseason Coaches Poll. But Lavin only begins the list of new Big East coaches, as DePaul (Oliver Purnell), Rutgers (Mike Rice) and Seton Hall (Kevin Willard) all have new guys leading their programs. Changes are going to need to happen if teams such as St. John’s, DePaul, Rutgers or Seton Hall want to dethrone teams that have been the regulars to top the Big East the past couple of years. One can only imagine how the new coaches will fair against the likes of Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim (829 wins), Conneticut’s Jim Calhoun (823 wins), West Virginia’s Bob Huggins (670 wins) and Pittsburgh’s Jamie Dixon (.777 winning percentage). That is not to say that new stars won’t emerge. Jimmy Butler (Marquette), Ashton Gibbs (Pittsburgh), Kris Joseph (Syracuse), Tim Abromaitis (Notre Dame), Brad Wannamaker (Pittsburgh) and Jeremy Hazell (Seton Hall) are just a few of the names that fans will all get to know this upcoming season. Let’s not forget the newcomers to the conference that can easily make names for themselves, including Fab Melo and Dion Waiters (Syracuse), Shabazz Napier (Connecticut), Vander Blue (Marquette), Gerard Coleman (Providence) and Scott Martin (Notre Dame, transfer from Purdue). With 73 of the Big East’s 114 conference games to appear on CBS and the ESPN family of networks, talent will be as exposed to the nation as it has ever been. “We have plenty of players who will play in the NBA, but they haven’t had their time yet,” said Dixon.

Photograph by Brian Lopez

Red Storm rising St. John’s was picked to finish sixth in the confernece.

“Talent is not a problem in our league.” The No. 1 team in the Preseason Coaches’ Poll is Pittsburgh, and it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. “Nothing has changed,” Dixon said. “We’ve got the same guys, so our commitment and our work ethic can’t change, either.” The Panthers were the only team in the Big East that won at least 10 conference games last season and return four starters. Gibbs, last year’s Big East Most Improved player as well as a selection on the conference’s 2010-11 Pre-

“

“When a new coach comes in with a new brand of basketball, there’s an excitement behind it,” said Louisville head coach Rick Pitino.

“Now we know we’ve got No. 15 [Freeman] and No. 4 [senior Chris Wright] out there, and that’s where we’re going.” Wright averaged 15.2 points and 4.1 assists last season as the Hoyas starting point guard, and even without Monroe it’s tough to imagine that production stalling with Freeman running loose. Syracuse is coming off a year in which the Orange posted a 30-5 record (15-3 in conference play), set a school record with 28-regular season wins and a No. 4 ranking in the national polls to finish off the 2009-10 season. But the Orange lost Johnson, who was named Big East Player of the Year last year, and Andy Rautins to the NBA as well as Arize Onuaku, who combined with Rick Jackson as one of the most powerful frontcourts in the conference last season. The Orange will replace Johnson & Co. with 7-foot freshman center Melo, a former McDonalds All American who coach Boeheim says has “National Rookie of the Year potential.” “I’m excited about all these guys. I think they’re all capable,” said Boeheim. “Who will be the guy to really step up, it’s hard to tell. We expect our upper-class guys to be the guys who really step up and lead the team to be productive.” One of the deepest teams in the league for the second straight year is Villanova. Having only two freshmen on the entire roster does that to a team, and now that Scottie Reynolds is gone, this year’s Wildcats will rely heavily on seniors Corey Fisher, Antonio Pena and Corey Stokes to keep victories coming in waves. The Wildcats will try to repeat their offensive dominance of last year, in which they averaged a conference-high 81.9 points per game.

”

season All-Big East First Team, will help make sure the Panthers’ winning ways continue. Having only lost Jermaine Dixon, the Panthers are returning most of the squad that held Big East teams to only 61.9 points per game last year, which topped the conference. Georgetown guard Austin Freeman, who is the league’s Preseason Player of the Year, is now the leader of a team who was ranked 20th nationally to start the year and lost only their premier big man, Monroe, to the NBA. “Going into last year, we knew — and everyone on the opposing bench knew — [we had] this guy, No. 10 [Monroe] down there, and that’s where we’re going,” Thompson said.

COURTSIDE

2009-10 STANDINGS Team

Big East

Overall

Syracuse

15-3

30-5

West Virginia

13-5

31-7

Villanova

13-5

25-8

Pittsburgh

13-5

25-9

Marquette

11-7

22-12

Louisville

11-7

23-13

Georgetown

10-8

23-11

Notre Dame

10-8

23-12

USF

9-9

20-13

Seton Hall

9-9

19-13

Cincinnatti

7-11

19-16

Connecticut

7-11

18-16

St. John’s

6-12

17-16

Rutgers

5-13

15-17

Providence

4-14

12-19

DePaul

1-17

8-23

PRESEASON BIG Pittsburgh Panthers

2009-10 record: 25-9 overall, 13-5 Big East (tied 2nd) Post season: NCAA second round Head Coach: Jamie Dixon, 8th season Home arena: Petersen Events Center – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvannia Undergraduate student body: 18,031 Will play St. John’s: at Madison Square Garden, 2/19/11, 12 p.m.

Villanova Wildcats 2009-10 record: 25-8 overall, 13-5 Big East (tied 2nd) Post season: NCAA Second Round Head Coach: Jay Wright, 10th season Home arena: The Pavilion – Villanova, Pennsylvannia Undergraduate student body: 6,353 Will play St. John’s: at Villanova, 2/26/11, 2 p.m. Impact newcomers: JayVaughn Pinkston, F, Fr., 6-foot-7, 235 lbs., McDonald’s All-American

Syracuse Orange 2009-10 record: 30-5 overall, 15-3 Big East (1st) Post season: NCAA Sweet 16 Head Coach: Jim Boeheim, 35th season Home arena: Carrier Dome – Syracuse, New York Undergraduate student body: 13,736 Will play St. John’s: at Madison Square Garden, 1/12/11, 7 p.m. Notable recruits: Fabricio Melo, F, Fr., 7-foot 265 lbs., 2010 McDonald’s AllAmerican Game, Dion Waiters, G, Fr., 6-foot-3, 214 lbs

Georgetown Hoyas 2009-10 record: 23-11 overall, 10-8 Big East (tied 7th) Post season: NCAA first round Head Coach: John Thompson III, 7th season Home arena: Verizon Center – Washington, D.C. Undergraduate student body: 15,328 Will play St. John’s: at Madison Square Garden, 1/03/11, 7:00 p.m.

West Virginia Mountaineers 2009-10 record: 31-7 overall, 13-5 Big East (tied 2nd) Post season: NCAA Final Four Head Coach: Bob Huggins, 4th season Home arena: WVU Coliseum – Morgantown, West Virginia Undergraduate student body: 22,303 Will play St. John’s: at West Virginia, 12/29/10, 7 p.m. Impact newcomers: Noah Cottrill, G, Fr., 6-foot-3, 195 lbs., Won Evans Awards as West Virginia’s top player as a senior, Darrious Curry, F, Fr., 6-foot-7, 200 lbs., a McDonald’s All-American finalist

St. John’s Red Storm 2009-10 record: 17-16 overall, 6-12 Big East (13th) Post season: NIT first round Head Coach: Steve Lavin, 1st season with Red Storm Home arena: Carnessecca Arena – Queens, New York Undergraduate student body: 14,983 Impact newcomers: Dwayne Polee, Jr, Fr., F, 6-foot-7, 190 lbs., Los Angeles City Section Player of the Year

Notre Dame Fighting Irish 2009-10 record: 23-12 overall, 10-8 Big East (tied 7th) Post season: NCAA first round Head Coach: Mike Brey, 11th season Home arena: Purcell Pavilion at the Edmund P. Joyce Center, Notre Dame, Indiana Undergraduate student body: 8,371 Will play St. John’s: at Notre Dame, 1/8/10, 8 p.m., at Madison Square Garden, 1/16/11, 12:00 p.m. Impact newcomers: Eric Atkins, G, Fr., 6-foot-1, 170 lbs., two-time all-state selection and McDonald’s All-American nominee

Louisville Cardinals 2009-10 record: 20-13 overall, 11-7 Big East (tied 5th) Post season: NCAA first round Head Coach: Rick Pitino, 10th season Home arena: KFC Yum! Center – Louisville, Kentucky Undergraduate student body: 15,125 Will play St. John’s: at Louisville, 1/19/11, 7:00 p.m. Impact newcomers: Justin Coleman, G/F, Sr., 6-foot-5, 215 lbs., Named Most Surprising Player at the 2009 NBA Players Association Top 100 Camp, Elisha Justice, G, Fr., 5-foot-10, 180 lbs., Named Kentucky’s Mr. Basketball and Gatorade Kentucky Player of the Year.

28 COURTSIDE

EAST RANKINGS Marquette Golden Eagles

2009-10 record: 22-12 overall, 11-7 Big East (tied 5th) Post season: NCAA first round Head Coach: Buzz Williams, 3rd season Home arena: Bradley Center – Milwaukee, Wisconsin Undergraduate student body: 8,012 Will play St. John’s: at Marquette, 2/25/11, 9:00 p.m. Impact newcomers: Vander Blue, G, Fr., 6-4, 190, starter on USA Basketball U18 Team, Jae Crowder, F, Jr., 6-foot-6, 225 lbs., named 2009-10 NJCAA Player of the Year and First Team All-America, Davonte Gardner, F, Fr., 6-foot-8, 290 lbs., Virginia Coaches Association First Team All-State

Connecticut Huskies 2009-10 record : 18-16 overall, 7-11 Big East (tied 11th) Post season: NIT second round Head Coach: Jim Calhoun, 25th season Home arena: XL Center - Hartford, Connecticut Undergraduate student body: 20,846 Will play St. John’s: at Madison Square Garden, 2/10/11, 7:00 p.m.

Seton Hall Pirates 2009-10 record: 19-13 overall, 9-9 Big East (tied 9th) Post season: NIT first round Head Coach: Kevin Willard, 1st season Home arena: Prudential Center - Newark, New Jersey Undergraduate student body: 5,245 Will play St. John’s: at Seton Hall, 3/3/11, 7 p.m. Impact newcomers: Fuquan Edwin, G/F, Jr., 6-foot-6, 205 lbs., North Jersey Player of the Year and first-team all-state, Aaron Geramipoor, F/C, Fr., 6-foot11, 225 lbs., Former member of England’s U18 national team

Cincinnati Bearcats 2009-10 record : 19-16 overall, 7-11 Big East (tied 11th) Post season: NIT second round Head Coach: Mick Cronin, 5th season Home arena: Fifth Third Arena - Cincinnati, Ohio Undergraduate student body: 29,824 Will play St. John’s: at Cincinnati, 2/13/11, 12:00 p.m. Impact newcomers: Justin Jackson, F, Fr., 6-foot-8, 210 lbs. (No. 86 player in ESPNU Top 100 for 2010 class.

USF Bulls 2009-10 record: 20-13 overall, 9-9 Big East (tied 9th) Post season: NIT first round Head Coach: Stan Heath, 4th season Home arena: Sun Dome – Tampa, Florida Undergraduate student body: 36,358 Will play St. John’s: at Carnessecca Arena, 3/5/11, 8 p.m.

Providence Friars

2010-11 SCHEDULE Dec. 1

vs. Wagner

Dec. 7

vs. St. Bonaventure

Dec. 11

Dec. 20

vs. Davidson

Dec. 29

West Virginia

Jan. 1

Providence

Jan. 3

vs. Georgetown

Jan. 8

Jan. 12

vs. Syracuse

Jan. 16

vs. Notre Dame

Jan. 19

Jan. 22

vs. Cincinnatti

Jan. 26

Jan. 30

vs. Duke

Feb. 2

vs. Rutgers

Feb. 5

Feb. 10

vs. Connecticut

Feb. 13

Cincinnati

Feb. 15

Marquette

Feb. 19

vs. Pitt

Feb. 23

vs. DePaul

Feb. 26

Villanova

Mar. 3

Seton Hall

Mar. 5

USF

Fordham

Notre Dame

Louisville Georgetown

UCLA

*Home games in Bold

2009-10 record: 12-19 overall, 4-14 Big East (15th) Post season: none Head Coach: Keno Davis, 3rd season Home arena: Dunkin’ Donuts Center - Providence, Rhode Island Undergraduate student body: 3,938 Will play St. John’s: at Providence, 1/1/11, 7 p.m. Youngest team in Big East

Rutgers Scarlet Knights 2009-10 record: 15-17 overall, 5-13 Big East (14th) Post season: none Head Coach: Mike Rice, 1st season Home arena: Louis Brown Athletic Center - Piscataway, New Jersey Undergraduate student body: 38,902 Will play St. John’s: at Carnessecca Arena, 2/2/11, 9 p.m.

DePaul Blue Demons 2009-10 record : 8-23 overall, 1-17 Big East (16th) Post Season: none Head Coach: Oliver Purnell, 1st season Home arena: Allstate Arena – Rosemont, Illinois Undergraduate student body: 15,994 Will play St. John’s: at Carnesecca Arena, 2/23/11, 7:00 p.m. COURTSIDE

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL 30 COURTSIDE

TORCH COLUMN

No longer the underdogs Women’s team needs to learn how to play with their newfound swagger and preseason national ranking

JUSTIN THRIFT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

he St. John’s women’s basketball team has never been the “team to beat” in the Big East. In fact, before coach Kim Barnes Arico showed up eight seasons ago, they were perennially a bottom-of-the-conference team, living in the shadows of the men’s team’s accomplishments. When St. John’s brought Barnes Arico to Queens, that paradigm slowly started to change for the Johnnies, as years of losing seasons turned into progressively successful ones. And while the past decade with Barnes Arico has seen the women’s team achieve steady success, the program has always managed to retain its humble history as consistent underdogs, year after year. Last season, the Barnes Arico era reached a pinnacle, as the team’s run reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. It was the team’s fifth-ever appearance in the tournament and one of the best finishes in program history. It was also a different flavor for the women of St. John’s basketball, much different from years of mediocre results. This season, the Johnnies look poised to push their program’s envelope of success once again, entering the season ranked higher than

they’ve ever been ranked before at No. 14 in the Associated Press Preseason Top 25. The Big East Preseason Coaches Poll has also picked the team to finish fifth in the conference this season. Look out UConn, the Red Storm is gathering speed. It is fair to say that the Johnnies are no longer the underdogs that they have been for so long, but shedding this skin may prove to be one of the largest obstacles to overcome as they look to live up to the hype. Barnes Arico even said it well, “We’re not sneaking up on anyone anymore.” It might seem that their biggest challenge for the season was to replace the departures of key seniors Joy McCorvey and Kelly McManmon. McCorvey averaged 7.2 points per game and was an outspoken locker room leader, while McManmon averaged 7.6 points with a record 219 career three-pointers, making her the Ray Allen of St. John’s women’s basketball. Last year, they were the leaders and playmakers that led their team onto the national stage. But considering this year’s lineup, the team clearly has the players to back up their expected success.This year’s seniors, Sky Lindsay and Coco Hart, will replace the leadership roles that McCorvey and McManmon left behind. The pair has already proven their abilities, as Lindsay has played in 99 consecutive games and Hart averaged 5.3 rebounds per game and had 33 season steals last year. Furthermore, Barnes Arico has praised sophomores Shenneika Smith and Nadirah McKenith as “two of the best players in the country” and central reasons for last year’s 25 regular-season wins. Rounding off the starting five, junior Da’Shena Stevens is a potential All-American, and was an All-Big East selection last year.

Photograph by Kristen Farmer The Red Storm also welcome another strong recruiting class, highlighted by the addition of ESPN’s No.37 player in the Class of 2010, point guard Keylantra Langley, as well as forward Zakiyah Shahid-Martin and guard Brianna Brown. When you consider the players involved and this lineup, it becomes obvious that the necessary skill is there. They’ve got the leadership, they’ve got the depth, and they’ve got the coach, but can this team avoid a hangover from last season’s memorable achievement? The key will be mixing confidence and the taste of last season’s NCAA Tournament play with the level-headed drive of Barnes Arico’s past teams. The Johnnies should play with the same underdog hunger that has been characteristic of their predecessors for decades. Barnes Arico has already mirrored this sentiment, making clear that the team has tried to ignore the hype surrounding the program coming into the season. Instead, her players are focusing on the very difficult schedule that lies ahead of them. As this season gets underway, the women’s team will learn that praise always comes with expectation. This group of players, steeped in underdog tradition and led by a coach that has brought the program from the bottom to the top, will have to get used to being “that” team, the one that everyone else wants to beat. If they can do that, the sky’s the limit for the 2010-11 women’s basketball team. COURTSIDE

FULL STEAM AHEAD HAVING MADE THE BIG DANCE LAST YEAR, THE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM ADJUSTS TO BEING A NATIONAL CONTENDER by Mike Cunniff

32 COURTSIDE

n the last eight years, St. John’s women’s basketball head coach Kim Barnes Arico has transformed one of the worst programs in the country to one of the best. Last year was the zenith of that building process, when the Red Storm went 25-7 overall and 12-4 in a loaded Big East conference, and made the NCAA tournament for just the fifth time in school history. This year, Barnes Arico and her players must meet the demands of being a top-tier program, and it won’t be easy. “Last year is over,” Barnes Arico said. “We have to prove ourselves all over again and now we’re not sneaking up on anyone. People know who we are.” With good reason. The Red Storm were picked to finish fifth in the Big East, according to the conference’s annual Preseason Coaches Poll, and earned the No. 14 ranking in the Associated Press Preseason Top 25, the highest preseason ranking in program history. However, Barnes Arico doesn’t want to hear about it. “I’ve hidden all the papers because it’s giving me a stomach ache,” she said. “We’re always used to being the underdog. We’re never really at this spot, so it’s a different position for us.” Her team, however, gives reason to breathe easy. Four starters return, including All-American junior forward Da’Shena Stevens and a pair of returning Big East Freshman Team honorees in swingman Shenneika Smith and point guard Nadirah McKenith. “I think we have three of the best—they’re not playing like it right now—but potentially three of the best players in the country on our team,” said Barnes Arico. Stevens and Smith led the team in scoring last year, averaging 14.3 and 12.9 points per game, respectively, while McKenith dished out over five assists. They are accompanied by veteran leadership in senior forward Coco Hart and senior combo guard Sky Lindsay. Hart, who averaged 6.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game off the bench last year, replaces the departed Joy McCorvey in the paint, while Lindsay has started all 99 games in her first three years and fills the void in the backcourt left by Kelly McManmon. The Johnnies will look to that leadership in getting back to the NCAA Tournament, where their run last season ended with an overtime loss to Florida State in the second round. “Now that I’ve got the experience of being in the NCAAs and have finally seen how it feels to be there, you don’t want to play in the NIT or any other postseason play,” said Lindsay. “You want to be in the NCAAs. It’s such a great feeling. “We all have in our locker a ‘Save the Date: NCAA Final Four’ little paper, and we all put it in our locker so every day before practice we see

“

Photograph by Kristen Farmer

our ‘save the date’ [for] the Final Four and where “We all have in our locker a it’s going to be at. That’s ‘Save the Date: NCAA Final Four’ our motivation every day little paper so every day we see in practice.” Another solthe Final Four.” id recruiting class will bolster the Red Storm bench. Freshman point guard Keylaners made. Mary pin Classic. Conference play will be tough tra Langley, the No. 37 Nwachukwu, who as well, with trips to No. 12 Notre Dame ranked high school playplayed last year and No. 11 West Virginia as well a home er in the Class of 2010, at Boston Col- game against No. 13 Georgetown and a according to ESPN, will lege, is an athletic showdown at Madison Square Garden with complement McKen6-foot -2 forward defending national champion Connecticut. ith, while forward Zawho can play mulDespite the high expectations surroundkiyah Shahid-Martin and ing this year’s team, the players aren’t letPhotograph by Brian Lopez tiple positions. guard Briana Brown will BRIANA BROWN The regular ting it get to them. provide the team with drives to the basket against season will pro“I wouldn’t say its pressure. It’s how even more depth. Manhattan. vide stiff competi- we react to being ranked,” said McKen“They’ll push us in tion that, if they ith. “We’re ranked now, so we could get practice [and] make you go even harder,” survive, will leave St. John’s ready for big headed and worry about being ranked, said Smith. “Everybody’s out to get some- the postseason. but we still have a lot to prove this season thing and if you have people pushing you “We just need to continue to do the lit- coming up.” I feel like it’s going to be great. They’ll be tle things as a team,” said Stevens. “Take Barnes Arico isn’t even looking that coming in when we take a break and the charges, get all the loose balls that we can far ahead. level of play will go up and it won’t drop.” and make stops when we have to get stops. “We’re just worried about Marist,” she The Red Storm also added a pair of I think if we focus on those little things insisted. “Honestly, truthfully, I know we transfers that will sit out this season in then we can get even further than we did have some other teams on our schedule, but compliance with NCAA regulations. Senior last year.” I don’t know the order. I don’t know who guard Tesia Harris led Delaware in scoring The highlight of the Red Storm’s non- comes next and we just try to take it one last year at 13.1 points per game, and ranks conference schedule is a potential matchup games at a time and see what happens as sixth in program history in threepoint- at No. 21 Maryland in the Maryland Terra- the season goes.”

”

COURTSIDE

FOLLOW THE LEADERS SKY LINDSAY AND COCO HART STEP UP TO LEAD THE JOHNNIES THIS SEASON by Mike Cunniff

he St. John’s women’s basketball team lost only two players from last year’s squad that went 25-7 and reached the NCAA tournament, but those losses are heavy for a team trying to establish itself as one of the country’s best. Forward Joy McCorvey averaged 7.2 points per game and was second on the team with 7.2 rebounds per game. Guard Kelly McManmon averaged 7.6 points per game and became the school’s all-time leader in three-pointers made last season with 219 in her career. And both have graduated. “You lose two great friends, two great teammates and two very, very well-kept athletes, but we were put in a position where we have people that are going to be around us that, when they leave, will pick up the slack,” sophomore guard Shennika Smith said. “We had a great run with them, but we still have the kind of team that we could go further.”

St. John’s has two seniors again this year, in guard Sky Lindsay and forward Coco Hart, who have stepped up in an effort to replace the leadership void left by McCorvey and McManmon’s departures. Both have earned their stripes. Lindsay has started 99 straight games dating back to her freshman year, and Hart averaged 5.3 rebounds and had 33 steals last season. “I’m looking at [Lindsay’s] stuff and she has started every single game in her career,” said head coach Kim Barnes Arico. “Ninetynine straight games, and that leadership and that consistency is going to be something that is not going to be so easy to replace. Coco Hart has played in a tremendous amount of games in her career. Those two young ladies really make a difference in our program and it’s always hard to replace seniors as it will be with Joy and Kelly.” Both players have become much more aware of their newfound stature within the program.

Photographs by Kristen Farmer

“Now I’m trying to talk more and I’m trying to help my teammates out,” said Lindsay. “Even with plays, I used to just know my spot in the play and maybe [I used to learn] the point guard, the one and two [role]. Now I’m trying to know the four and the five spot for the play so I can be able to help not just the guards out but help the whole team out.” Despite averaging 21 points and 16 rebounds per game as a high school senior, both team highs, Hart has struggled in embracing her leadership status with the Red Storm as an upperclassman. “If you would have asked me this question three years ago, I would have never thought I would be in this spot,” she said. “[Leading a team is] very challenging, but it’s not as bad as I thought it was going to be. Me stepping up and being a leader, I feel like it is making me a better person and making me more mature. I never thought I could be such a big help.” Her teammates certainly value Hart’s presence and the impact she’s had on the younger players. “She’s doing a tremendous job leading us, keeping us in charge, making sure everything we do is on point, on time and everything,” said sophomore point guard Nadirah McKenith. “Coco has been a great leader.” The leadership duties do not fall squarely on the seniors, however. The trio of Smith, McKenith, and junior guard Da’Shena Stevens may ultimately determine how far the Red Storm go this season. “I’m just here to help my other younger teammates. When I came in last year, the upperclassmen kind of helped me, so that’s a role that I’m playing. I’m here if you need me,” said Smith. “Everybody has some kind of leadership in them; it’s just how you portray it.” “I’ve been more vocal, trying to lead the team more,” said McKenith. “As a point guard, you’re going to be a leader. So I just try to talk to my team more and get them more involved.” COURTSIDE

SKY & COCO Sky Lindsay started all 99 games of her career entering this season. Coco Hart averaged 5.3 rebounds and had 33 steals last year. While they will be looked to as senior leaders, they won’t have to fill the stat sheets, as Nadirah McKenith, Shennika Smith and Da’Shena Stevens are three of the most dynamic players in the country.

“

Photograph by Kristen Farmer and Brian Lopez

“Me stepping up and being a leader, I feel like it is making me a better person and making me more mature,” Hart said. “I never thought I could be such a big help.”

St. John’s will replace McCorvey and McManmon on the court with a variety of players who have a chance to step up this year and fill the void. Hart will fill McCorvey’s spot in the starting lineup. She averaged 6.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game last year coming off the bench. Sophomore center Jennifer Blanding and freshman forward Zakiyyah Shahid-Martin will also play important roles. Sophomore guards Amanda Burakoski and Eugenia McPherson will both try to replace McManmon’s outside shooting prowess.

36 COURTSIDE

”

McPherson played all 32 games last year, averaging 5.2 points per game and 1.4 rebounds while averaging 15.4 minutes per game. Burakoski only appeared in 19 games last year, but has impressed Barnes Arico in practice thus far. “Amanda Burakoski has had a tremendous preseason so far,” she said. “I think last year was an adjustment—she was a typical freshman last year. And now that she knows the system and has gotten her feet wet, I’m expecting her to make an impact this year.”

QA &

WITH DA’SHENA STEVENS THE JUNIOR FORWARD TALKS KIM BARNES ARICO, HER INDIVIDUAL ACCOLADES, AND GETTING BACK TO THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

The Torch: For the first time in program history, the women’s basketball team entered the season ranked in the Associated Press Preseason Top 25 poll at No. 14. Why did the team deserve the ranking? Da’Shena Stevens: We improved last year and beat teams that people thought we weren’t going to beat. Towards the end of the season, we played with momentum and played well. I think that’s why we got the ranking we did. Plus we are returning some key pieces from last year’s team as well. What’s the biggest difference between playing in the NCAA Tournament as opposed to the WNIT? There are fewer games in the NCAA Tournament urnament and there’s more hype surrounding it. You definitely get moree press and it’s a lot more exciting. With all the attention the men’s team receives, eives, do you think it’s easy for people to forget what the women’s program has accomplished these last few years? I think we are holding our own. They have ve a lot of expectations, but I always feel like in sports, men kind off get more press, more fans, and get more love per say, but I think we are doing pretty good and things will work out for us. I thinkk it helps kind of in recruiting as well if you have a good men’ss team maybe a little bit, just because you have more re hype surrounding the school and you get more fans to come out to any of the games. Describe the foundation that head coach Kim Barnes Arico has laid in making St. John’s a perennial contender in the Big East as well as nationally. I think she’s just bringing in players thatt are going to form a really good championship team and she’s brining rining in more local kids, and just better talent all around to fill out the team to win a championship. With all the individual accolades you’ve received and all you’ve accomplished in two years with the program, what kind of contribution n that this program has rehave you made toward the national attention ceived throughout women’s college basketball? ght and do the best that I I think I just try to go out there every night rybody involved with the can and this year I’m focused on getting everybody rvey), so I think I just try loss of Kelly (McManmon) and Joy (McCorvey), to do what I can. ures of Joy McCorvey and What did the team lose with the departures ve this year’s seniors—Sky Kelly McManmon and what kind of roles have Lindsay and Coco Hart—taken on to fill the void? K ll as well, ll who h was a I think it’s kind of hard to replace Joy, andd Kelly great shooter. But it’s going to be harder to replace Joy because of her leadership. I think that Coco and Sky will do a better job of stepping up as leaders this year and it’s evident in practice that they are really trying to be more vocal and trying to get everyone involved to do the things that Joy did. It’s a lot to lose a special person like Joy. Overall,

by Steve Sidoti I miss their commitment to the team. They sacrificed a lot for us last year and it’s kind of gone unnoticed because they probably weren’t first in all of the stats, but they did stuff that weren’t really in the stat sheet that meant a lot to our team. In that NCAA loss to Florida State, you suffered through cramps late in the game, but you stayed on the floor and even took the potential gamewinning shot at the end. What does that say about you as a player? Well, my team was really trying to get me back out there. It was tough because the crowd was pretty ruthless out there and maybe thought that I was faking. I just wanted to be out there with m my team and do whatever I could, even if I was limpin limping, even if I was hurting, because it could have been the last time on the floor with our seniors niors, so I just had to give it all I had. Last season you were called upon fairly often to be the main playmaking threat for this team, as Nadirah McKenith and Shennika Smith got comfortable. Now that they’ve developed into major components of the team’s overall offensive game, and opponents now have to focus on them, how does that open up your individual game? I think it helps me a lot. It gives us a lot more threats. One night, Shennika might have a good night, or Nadirah. It’s going to be harder for opponents to guard us. I expect to have more open looks because of their experience. Having finally reached that goal of making the NCAA Tournament, do you have an idea of what it takes to get there? Obviously, it takes a lot of winning, a lot of hard work, and winning a lot of close games. I think everyone focuses on those games. We have to beat the teams that we are supposed to beat and win the games that maybe we are not supposed to win. What will it take for this year’s team to get back there this year? I think we just need to stay focused and find a way to be on the winning end of close games that we know we are going to be in. We need to do the little things like make our free throws. I think we lost the Florida State game because our free throws too last year. Basically, we have to do the little things like that, and also try to get more loose balls. I think the little things will get us over the edge this year. COURTSIDE

Photographs by Brian Lopez

THE SUPER SOPHS

NOW ON THE NATIONAL RADAR, NADIRAH McKENITH AND SHENNEIKA SMITH GEAR UP FOR THEIR SOPHOMORE SEASONS by Katie Beckmann

oming into last season, the St. John’s women’s basketball team knew that Shenneika Smith and Nadirah McKenith were not your typical rookies. Head coach Kim Barnes Arico would be the first to admit that. “Every year, most coaches in the country will tell you that freshmen are freshmen and they make freshmen mistakes,” she said. “The freshmen that we had here last year were exceptions to the rule. “Shenneika Smith and Nadirah McKenith are two of the best players in the country. They didn’t have the typical freshman year. Obviously, that’s how we won 25 games. They were able to do things that normal freshmen don’t.” The duo played well beyond their years

38 COURTSIDE

on the court and off the court. Smith was selected to a Full Court Press All-Freshman All-American Second Team, was an All-Met Second Team honoree and a unanimous selection to the Big East Freshman Team, having averaged 12.9 points per game and making 27 starts during her impressive rookie campaign. McKenith was equally impressive, as she

“

Big East Freshman Team. She averaged 7.7 points per game and led the team with 161 assists. As notable as their statistics were, the duo was still not satisfied with how their rookie season ended. The Red Storm lost a heartbreaking game to Florida State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, 66-65, with each finishing in double figures.

“Every year, most coaches in the country will tell you that freshmen are freshmen and they make freshmen mistakes,” Barnes Arico said. “The freshmen that we had here last year were exceptions to the rule.”

was the only freshman to be named a finalist for the prestigious Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Award and selected to the

”

“We ask ourselves, ‘Do you want to feel that again, or do you want to go further?’ That should be motivation enough [to continue

improving],” said Smith. “Losing by one hurts a lot more than losing by thirty.” The two kept the loss in mind this offseason, spending extensive time in the weight room to improve their physicality—something each noted was their biggest weakness on the floor. “Last season, I knew I was going to be an undersized guard in the Big East, so during the offseason I worked hard in the weight room and on and off the court to become a better all-around player,” said McKenith. Smith said, “I’m probably one of the skinniest wing guards in the country, but I don’t let that affect me. I’m going to do anything I can to put my team in a position to win. That’s all I’m here to do —play my role and be a leader. I need to be consistent. Last year I was very inconsistent and I have been trying to improve my game so I can be as consistent as possible this year.” Their hard work during the off season was noticed by their coach. “In my opinion, Nadirah is the best point guard in the country,” said Barnes Arico. “She is a little sparkplug for us. She controls the pace we want to play at and gets our fast break going at top speed.” “She has to continue to get better and not be satisfied by being at the level that she’s already at. Nadirah has the energy to really make our team go.” Smith was selected to the 2010-11 Naismith Trophy Preseason Watch List, along with junior teammate Da’Shena Stevens, who was named to the Preseason All-Big East team. Smith was only one of five sophomores to be selected to the prestigious list. “Shenneika is one of the best wings in the country,” said Barnes Arico. “She has tremendous length and athleticism, as well as a smooth scoring touch. Shenneika has focused on knocking down the open jumper, and has rare basketball instincts. We’re expecting her to have another outstanding season for us.” The Red Storm, who received the No. 14 national ranking in the Associated Press Preseason Poll, have an extremely tough schedule ahead of them. With a conference lineup featuring defending NCAA champion Connecticut and Big East powerhouses West Virginia, Notre Dame and Georgetown, the Red Storm will have to rely heavily upon the play of their sophomore stars. “If Coach wants me to be a starter, I’ll be a starter. If she wants me to be a sixth man, I’ll be a sixth man and always be ready to play,” said Smith. “I need to work hard for coach and my team and know that they have my back.” McKenith added, “I feel that I can be the best point guard in the country if I work on some things; I know I need to keep working hard and I can be that.”

SHENNEIKA SMITH Smith was a unanimous Big East Big East Freshman team selection last year, as she was second on the Red Storm in scoring (12.9 ppg.), assists (53) and steals (47).

COURTSIDE

by Timothy Gibbons

Photograph courtesy of Connecticut Athletic Communications 40 COURTSIDE

ons ns

BIG EAST RANKINGS Connecticut Huskies 2009-10 (39-0, 16-0) Head Coach- Geno Auriemma (26th year) Players to Watch-Maya Moore, Sr. F

Bria Hartley, Fr. G

We all know the story. The Huskies won their second-straight National Championship in 2010, as well as completed their second-straight undefeated season behind head coach Geno Auriemma. Their 78 consecutive wins is the best ever in NCAA Women’s Basketball, and they need only 10 more to match John Wooden’s UCLA Men’s record. Two-time Wade Trophy winner Maya Moore returns for her senior season and is undoubtedly the best player in the country. The Huskies combat the loss of Big East Player of the Year and the WNBA’s No. 1 overall draft pick, Tina Charles, with five freshmen, three of whom were McDonalds All-American selections in Bria Hartley, Stephanie Dolson and Samarie Walker. UConn ranks atop every preseason poll and will try to continue its dominance with a bulls-eye square on its back.

2009-10 STANDINGS Team

Big East

Overall

Connecticut

16-0

39-0

West Virginia

13-3

29-6

Georgetown

13-3

26-7

St. John’s

12-4

25-7

Notre Dame

12-4

29-6

Rutgers

9-7

19-15

Depaul

9-7

21-12

West Virginia Mountaineers

Providence

7-9

19-15

2009-10 (29-6, 13-3) Head Coach- Mike Carey (10th year) Players to watch- Liz Repella Sr. G

Syracuse

7-9

25-11

Marquette

6-10

17-16

USF

6-10

15-16

Pittsburgh

5-11

16-15

Louisville

5-11

14-18

Cincinatti

4-12

12-18

Villanova

3-13

14-16

Seton Hall

1-15

9-21

Sarah Miles Sr. G

The Mountaineers will look to build upon their winningest season of all time (29 wins) by returning eight letter-winners, including all five starters. Led by All-Big East First Team selection Liz Repella, who averaged a team high 13.9 points per game last year, West Virginia is poised to give UConn a legitimate fight for the Big East crown. The Mountaineers enter the 2010-11 season riding a 17-game home winning streak. Last season, they outscored opponents by 19.5 points at home, a drastic difference between the 3.0 margin they held on the road.

Georgetown Hoyas 2009-10 (26-7, 13-3) Head Coach- Terri Williams Flournoy (7th season) Players to watch- Sugar Rodgers So. G Monica McNutt Sr. G Georgetown is coming off its best season in more than a decade, led by a fastpaced defensive gameplan that looks to press and force turnovers. This was evident by last year’s league-leading 12.9 steals a game and a +8.1 turnover margin. Big East Freshman of the Year Sugar Rodgers (17.6 points a game) looks to lead the Hoyas to a record third-straight 20-win season. Point guard Rubylee Wright moves into a starting role and senior guard Monica McNutt will be a force to reckon with from outside the arc (66 3-pointers last year).

Notre Dame Fighting Irish 2009-10 (29-6, 12-4) Head Coach- Muffet McGraw (24th season) Players to watch-Skylar Diggins So. G, Kayla McBride Fr. G Muffet McGraw looks to keep up her winning ways at Notre Dame this season despite losing three of last year’s starters. Honorable Mention All-American guard Skylar Diggins looks to lead this young Fightin’ Irish team back to the NCAA Tournament after averaging 13.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.6 steals last year. She will be accompanied by a plethora of talented freshmen, including consensus prep All-America guard and USA Basketball gold medallist Kayla McBride, Canadian National Team forward Natalie Achonwa, and twotime Michigan Player of the Year Ariel Braker.

St. John’s Red Storm 2009-10 (25-7, 12-4) Head Coach- Kim Barnes Arico (9th season) Players to watch-Da’Shena Stevens Jr. F, Shenneika Smith So. G St. John’s finished last season 14th in the AP rankings and 16th in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll, the highest rankings in program history. Head coach Kim Barnes Arico has four of her starters from last year’s squad returning, led by junior forward Da’Shena Stevens. An All-Big East First Team selection, Stevens led the team in both scoring (14.3 ppg) and rebounding (7.6 ppg) last season. With five postseason appearances in the last six years, the 2010-11 team could be St. John’s finest yet. COURTSIDE

2010-11 SCHEDULE Boston University

Dec. 4

Dec. 8

vs. Seton Hall

Dec. 11

Dec. 18

vs. So. Mississippi

Dec. 28

vs. Liberty**

Dec. 29

La Salle/ Maryland

Jan. 4

Louisville

Jan. 8

vs. DePaul

Jan. 12

vs. Connecticut

Jan. 15

Jan. 18

vs. Cincinnati

Jan. 23

Notre Dame

Jan. 29

Providence

Feb. 1

vs. Rutgers

Feb. 5

Feb. 13

vs. Georgetown

Feb. 16

Feb. 19

vs. Syracuse

Feb. 22

Feb. 26

vs. Pittsburgh

Feb. 28

Rhode Island

Seton Hall

Marquette USF Villanova

West Virginia

* Home games in Bold ** Game to be played at Maryland as part of the Maryland Terrapin Classic

PRESEASON BIG DePaul Blue Demons

2009-10 (21-12, 9-7 Big East) Head Coach- Doug Bruno (25th season) Players to watch-Deirdre Naughton Sr. G

Keisha Hampton Jr. F

DePaul returns all five starters from its 2009-10 roster and welcomes back nearly its entire bench. Having mised most of last year with an ACL injury, senior Deidre Naughton was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA. Prior to her injury, Naughton was a Preseason Wade Award, John R. Wooden Award and Naismith Award watch candidate. Looking to make their ninthstraight NCAA appearance, the Blue Demons are poised to be one of the stronger teams in the conference.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights 2009-10 (19-15, 9-7 Big East) Head Coach- C. Vivian Stringer (16th season) Players to watch-Khadijah Rushdan Jr. G

Chelsey Lee Jr. F

Under the direction of Hall of Fame coach C. Vivian Stringer, the Scarlet Knights look to once again be a force in the Big East behind their alwaystough defensive units. Junior guard Khadijah Rushdan will be counted on to increase her scoring, along with and forward Chelsey Lee. Having qualified for eight-straight NCAA appearances, Rutgers also added junior college transfer Julie Paunovic and highly-touted freshmen Briana Hutchen and Daisha Simmons as it looks for another tournament bid this season.

Louisville Cardinals 2009-10 (14-18, 5-11 Big East) Head Coach- Jeff Walz (4th season) Players to watch- Monique Reid Jr. F

Keshia Hines Sr. C/F

The Louisville Cardinals return four starters and eight letter-winners from a disappointing 2009-10 season. After appearing in the National Championship game following the 2008-09 season, they now boast what most publications regard as a top-five recruiting class with six newcomers. WBCA All-American Shoni Schimmel is joined by three McDonalds All-America nominees in forward Shawnta Dyer, center Sheronne Vails and guard Charmaine Tay. Junior Monique Reid (18.4 points and 9.2 rebounds) and senior Keshia Hines (9.1 points, 6.9 rebounds) anchor a frontline that could be one of the best in the conference.

Syracuse Orange 2009-10 (25-11, 7-9 Big East) Head Coach- Quentin Hillsman (5th season) Players to watch-Erica Morrow Sr. G

Tasha Harris Sr, G

Syracuse, a team that won 25 games last year, graduated one of the most prolific players in school history in guard Nicole Michael. Michael left Syracuse as the programâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all-time leading scorer and rebounder. Head coach Quentin Hillsman now will move forward with ten returning letter-winners, including senior starters Tasha Harris and Erica Morrow, who ranks third in school history in 3-pointers made. Syracuse also welcomes a pair of impact transfers and four solid freshmen to help get the Orange back into postseason contention.

Marquette Golden Eagles 2009-10 (17-16, 6-10 Big East) Head Coach- Terri Mitchell (15th season) Players to watch-Angel Robinson Sr. G

Sarina Simmons So. F

The Golden Eagles head into the 2010-11 season with an interesting blend of youth and experience. Head Coach Terri Mitchell welcomes back six seniors and adds five freshmen to this 17-win team from a year ago. Leading the way for those seniors is guard Angel Robinson, who averaged 11.9 points a game and 4.7 assists per game last year. The key for the Golden Eagles this season is going to be how well they play on the road. Last year, Marquette went 12-4 at home and just 3-10 on the road.

42 COURTSIDE

EAST RANKINGS USF Bulls

2009-10 (15-16, 6-10 Big East) Head Coach- Jose Fernadez (11th season) Players to watch-KaNeisha Saunders So. G Sr. F/C

Leondra Doomes-Stephens

The story for this USF team seems to be the new additions added in the offseason. The Bulls signed one of the best recruiting classes in program history, led by National Junior College Player of the Year Andrea Smith and her twin sister, Andrell. USF also has added transfers Daleisha Carn [Alabama] and Sasha Baker [Indiana] to the mix. Of the returning players, guard KaNeisha Saunders, an All-Big East Freshman team member a season ago, looks to improve upon her solid 9.6 points and 3.4 assists per-game averages.

Providence Friars 2009-10 (19-15, 7-9 Big East) Head Coach- Phil Seymore (6th season) Players to watch-Mi-Khida Hankins Sr. F/G

Preseason Big East Coaches Poll 1. Uconn 2. West Virginia 3. Georgetown 4. Notre Dame 5. St. John’s 6. DePaul

Symone Roberts So. G

7. Rutgers

The Friars are coming off their first winning season since 1991-92 and return six letter-winners, including four players who have experience in the starting lineup. Senior guard/forward Mi-Khida Hankins is the team’s leading returning scorer and rebounder with 11.0 points per game and 5.3 rebounds a game.

8. Louisville

Pittsburgh Panthers

11. USF

2009-10 (16-15, 5-11 Big East) Head Coach- Agnus Berenato (8th season) Players to watch-Chelsea Cole Sr. F

12. Providence Jania Sims Sr. G

Pittsburgh enters this season with a veteran core (four returning starters) and hopes of advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in five years. Head coach Angus Berenato has averaged 22 wins over the last five years and looks to do so again behind a strong senior class led by All-Big East Honorable Mentions Chelsea Cole and Jania Sims.

9. Syracuse 10. Marquette

13. Pittsburgh 14. Villanova 15. Cincinnati 16. Seton Hall

Villanova Wildcats 2009-10 (14-16, 3-13 Big East) Head Coach- Harry Perretta (33rd season) Players to watch-Laura Sweeney So. F

Heather Scanlon Sr. C

Harry Perretta enters his 33rd season as Villanova head coach with some question marks. His players missed 52 combined games last year due to injury and a team known for its prolific outside-shooting must improve on its 29.0 percentage from long range. The Wildcats also finished dead last in rebounding in the Big East but will look toward improvement this year behind All-Big East Freshman Team member Laura Sweeney, who averaged 10.0 points a game and 5.3 rebounds last year.

Cincinnati Bearcats 2009-2010- (12-18, 4-12 Big East) Head Coach- Jamelle Elliot (2nd season) Players to watch- Shareese Ulis Sr. G

Shelly Bellman Sr. G/F

Former Connecticut assistant Jamelle Elliot enters her second season with thee Bearcats. She is the only current Big East coach to have also played in the con-ference. She will look to senior point guard Shareese Ulis as well as freshman n guard Kayla Cook (ESPN Top 100 recruit) to ignite a team on the rise.

Seton Hall Pirates 2009-10 (9-21, 1-15 Big East) Head Coach- Anne Donovan (1st season) Players to watch-Kandice Green Jr. F

Terry Green So. F

Seton Hall brought in new head coach Anne Donovan, just the third coach in school history, to bring the Pirates out of the cellar of conference. Following 25-year head coach Phyllis Mangina’s retirement, Donovan will have her work cut out for her, as the Pirates managed just one win within the Big East last year. Forward Kandice Greene will step into the spotlight as Seton Hall’s marquee player this year.

Forward Laura Sweeney was an

All-Big East Freshman team selection last year Photograph courtesy of Villanova Athletics COURTSIDE