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St. John’s Basketball: St. John’s Red Storm 2015-16 Season Preview

By Chris Godfrey

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St. John’s Red Storm

2014-2015 Record: 21-12 (10-8, Big East)
Postseason: NCAA Tournament – Second Round

For the first time since 2011, the St. John’s Red Storm finally returned to the NCAA Tournament last season. However, hearing their name called on Selection Sunday wasn’t enough to save the job of head coach Steve Lavin. Instead, the Johnnies made a flashy hire by naming recent NBA Hall of Fame inductee Chris Mullin as the team’s new coach.

Mullin won’t be the only fresh face in Queens, as the Johnnies have essentially flipped their entire roster in the aftermath of their new coach’s arrival. New York City has been buzzing with optimism as they envision the future of the program, but what this team is presently capable of  remains a mystery.

Newcomers

G – Malik Ellison (#97 247Sports)
C – Yankuba Sima (#146 247Sports)
G – Marcus Lovett (#93 247Sports Composite)
G – Federico Mussini (#114 247Sports)
G – Durand Johnson (transfer from Pittsburgh)
G – Ron Mvouika (transfer from Missouri State)
F – Kassoum Yakwe (#98 ESPN100)
F – Darien Williams (#5 JUCO 247Sports Composite)

Key Non-Conference Games

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Nov. 19 vs Rutgers – The first test of the Mullin era will come at home against a local rival from a power conference. We’ll learn a lot about the Johnnies based on how they look against Rutgers. If the Baby Johnnies can’t hang with a bottom of the barrel Big Ten team, it may be time to temper expectations until next season.

Nov. 23-26 at Maui Invitational – The Red Storm expected to have standout returners Rysheed Jordan and Chris Obekpa when they originally committed to this tournament. Instead they’ll head to Maui with a very inexperienced squad set to experience it’s first taste of top notch collegiate competition. The Red Storm will open with Vanderbilt, and see either Wake Forest or Indiana in the next round. Things can’t go all bad for the Johnnies. If they lose the first two games, they’ll spend Thanksgiving Day beating up on Chaminade

Dec. 22 vs Arizona State – Both of these programs are in a rebuilding stage, even though the Sun Devils presently have a bit more to work with. Much of the intrigue surrounding this game will center on Bobby Hurley’s presence in Queens. The New Jersey native was a likely candidate to lead St. John’s if the school didn’t woo Mullin from the NBA.

Key Players

Darien Williams – Not much is known about this forward from San Francisco Community College. However, Williams comes to campus with the reputation for being able to fill it up from beyond the arc and above the rim. That type of versatility may make him the offensive focal point of this young team.

Marcus Lovett – On the streets of Chicago, this dynamic point guard answers to the nickname Bright Lights, and his flashy style of play will likely be a hit in Madison Square Garden. However, the key to him having a successful first season will be his ability to make sound decisions after he wows the crowds.

Season Outlook

I’ve been dreading this part of the process, because with so many new pieces, it’s almost impossible to make a fair assessment of the team. Mullin’s first recruiting class is a wonky mix of highly regarded talents (Yakwe and Lovett), rapidly improving prospects (Sima and Ellison), and promising unknowns (Williams and Mussini). No one knows who will boom, and who will bust. Any finish between fifth and dead last in the Big East seems perfectly reasonable at this point in the year. If this team makes it to the NIT after the mad scramble that they faced this summer just to throw together a roster — that would have to be considered a success.

Next: Why the Lousiville Sex Scandal is the NCAA's Fault

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