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St. John’s Basketball: 3 takeaways from loss to No. 9 Creighton Bluejays

By Nicholas Diamantis

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 01: A general view during the game between the St. John's Red Storm and the Creighton Bluejays at Carnesecca Arena on March 01, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 01: A general view during the game between the St. John's Red Storm and the Creighton Bluejays at Carnesecca Arena on March 01, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) /
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St. John's Basketball
Mike Anderson St. John’s Red Storm (Photo by Porter Binks/Getty Images). /

2.) Perimeter defense

Another reoccurring problem the Red Storm face on a nightly basis is their perimeter defense. Understandably, this could be a result of the aggressive, “40 Minutes of Hell” style of defense that Anderson strives from his players, but in the games that the Red Storm have lost this season, the three-point defense seems to be a major reason why.

Creighton was nearly unstoppable from behind the arc in the first half, nailing five of its first six attempts and finishing the first half 7-of-15 (46.7%). Conversely, the Johnnies shot a measly 28.6% from behind the arc, only capitalizing on four of their 14 shots.

Coming into Thursday’s game, the primary concern for Anderson and the Red Storm was containing the Bluejays’ scoring threats, including Zeagarowski, the BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year, Mitch Ballock, and Denzel Mahoney.

In the first eight minutes, Ballock and four other Bluejays’ made the team’s first five triples, and the score was 25-12 Bluejays.

The Bluejays were just as hot from behind the arc in the second half, efficiently shooting 6-for-8 from behind the half to close out the win.

Any team that shoots 13-for-23 from behind the arc will have a great chance of winning the game. Creighton’s effectiveness from behind the arc forced the Red Storm to take more triples than usual, actually taking more attempts than its opponent, but to no avail.

One of the biggest differences between the two teams tonight was shot selection, and Creighton was much better at taking quality shots, finishing the game making 56.7% of their attempts from the floor. St. John’s has now lost three games in which it has allowed its opponent to make at least 10 triples in a game.

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