Butler Basketball: Keys to success at St. John's in 2019-20

Butler Basketball: Keys to success at St. John’s in 2019-20

DETROIT, MI - MARCH 16: Head coach LaVall Jordan of the Butler Bulldogs looks on against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the first half of the game in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Little Caesars Arena on March 16, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

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DETROIT, MI – MARCH 16: Coach Anderson of SJU while at Arkansas reacts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

Opponent Intel: St. John’s Red Storm

Before diving too far into this breakdown, I want to give credit for how hard St. John’s has played to begin this season. The Red Storm dealt with a ton of roster turnover this offseason and also hired a brand-new head coach in Mike Anderson (previously at Arkansas). Yet, the team has exceeded most expectations through the opening two months of the season and is deserving of far more national respect than it is getting.

To this point in the year, St. John’s holds an 11-2 record that includes wins over West Virginia and Arizona. Additionally, their two losses came against semi-quality competition as they fell at home to Vermont and a neutral-site to Arizona State. The Red Storm have clearly bought into Coach Anderson’s defense-oriented, up-tempo system and it is paying off early. This team has quickly put itself in the early NCAA Tournament conversation.

From a scheming point of view, it all starts on the defensive end for this team. St. John’s supplies a ton of pressure with its guards and never relents minutes on that end of the floor. The Red Storm are extremely opportunistic with playing passing lanes and come away with a ton of steals. Furthermore, they boast legitimate shot-blockers underneath that can protect the rim. That is a vital part of this defensive scheme and a major reason for its success.

By virtue of their opportunistic defense, the Red Storm rank sixth nationally in offensive pace as their potential scoring possessions last only an average of 14.7 seconds. They love to push the tempo of games and look to finish in transition or off second-chance opportunities.