Game 29: Syracuse 85, St. John's 66 - Postgame Media

The St. John’s Red Storm fall to the #1 ranked Syracuse Orange in the Carrier Dome. Syracuse improves to 28-2, 15-2 Big East; St. John’s falls to 15-14, 5-12 in the Big East.

I said much of it in last night's post on the Red Storm loss. St. John's was outscored and fastbreaked till the end. A walk-on scored and drew a foul for Syracuse. It was bad.

Moving on. DePaul on Friday, where I hope they don't manage to lose. I'll be in the arena and very sad if they do. See the player quotes below, courtesy of Roger Rubin, New York Daily News.

Official box score

Statsheet box score

NY Daily News: St. John's keeps pace with Syracuse early, but Red Storm eventually falls, 86-66, to Orange

The Johnnies (15-14, 5-12) were billed as much-improved this season but now must win at last-place DePaul on Friday night just to equal their six conference wins from a year ago.

"I understand why people say we haven't improved," junior forward Justin Burrell said. "I believe (we have) in my heart, but I guess the facts say (we're) not."

But the players are at a loss to explain what's happened. "We had some heartbreaker games that we lost and close games that we lost. We ought to be getting our share, but it hasn't happened this year," Horne said. "Other teams? I don't know. They get the wins. We've got to find a way to ... win."

The Johnnies are also stunned that Friday night's game has started to feel like a "must-win."

"I hate it with all my heart," Burrell said. "I don't understand why we don't win these games. I don't understand what's going on. Some close games that we lost don't make sense - I guess I don't have the know-how of basketball to understand what we are doing wrong."

AP/ NBC Sports: Syracuse shines in first game as new No. 1

Syracuse Post-Standard: Syracuse wins first outright Big East title since 1991; other notes from Orange win over St. John's