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Big East Basketball: Projecting each team’s key player production for 2021-22

By Trevor Sinodhinos

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 09: Julian Champagnie #2 of the St. John's Red Storm looks on during a college basketball game against the Butler Bulldogs at Hinkle Fieldhouse on February 9, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 09: Julian Champagnie #2 of the St. John's Red Storm looks on during a college basketball game against the Butler Bulldogs at Hinkle Fieldhouse on February 9, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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Big East Basketball Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Big East Basketball Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

St. John’s: Julian Champagnie and Montez Mathis

Decrease in production: Julian Champagnie

After a season of averaging 19.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, of being selected to the All-Big East First Team as well as being named the Big East Most Improved Player, the 6’8 forward can average 15 points a game and it would be considered a decrease. In essence, that is going to be the extent of Champagnie’s decrease in production during his third season with the Red Storm.

This decrease in production will not even be a reflection on his ability, but that of an improved supporting cast around him. The Red Storm lost their third through seventh top scorers, all of which did not average double digits in scoring. Replacing Rasheem Dunn ( 9.5 ppg) at point guard will be Vermont transfer Stef Smith (13.6 ppg), the departing Greg Williams will be replaced by Tareq Coburn (15.1 ppg) a former Hofstra shooting guard, and finally, as Vince Cole (8.7 ppg) heads to Coastal Carolina, incoming Rutgers transfer Montez Mathis (8.3 ppg) will be partially responsible for those minutes.

While the mid-major transfers will not be able to duplicate their exact level of success from 2020-21, they will create a new look Red Storm that is not solely dependant on Champagnie

Increase in production: Montez Mathis

As just noted, the Red Storm will not be in need of guards, and Rutgers transfer Montez Mathis is only going to add to the mix. However, unlike Coburn and Smith who have scoring averages in the mid-teens, Mathis has an average that will permit an increase in production. The biggest obstacle to Mathis increasing his playing time from the 21 minutes he averaged with Rutgers, is his shooting, all of his shooting. His 57 percent from the free-throw line is not going to earn him any minutes, nor will his 28 percent from the three-point line.

Those two things, however, are two things Rutgers failed at as a team, so it was par for the course. A new team, a new culture, a new coaching philosophy, and new teammates will be the change Mathis needs and he will benefit from it.

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