Schedule update: familiar mirror foes in St. John's Big East schedule matchups

The Big East Conference has announced the league's home and away opponents, and each team's "mirror" opponents - the matchups they get home and away. With the early departure of West Virginia to the Big XII, each team has four home-and-away pairs in the fifteen-team league; all Big East teams play each other at least once.

The full schedule with times and locations will be announced in the fall.

But for now, the Red Storm's pairing features three Catholic schools and a local rival. Two of the teams were mirror oppoinents last season, and this year, the Red on Red muckfest that is Cincinnati vs. St. John's only happens once:

DePaul (12-19, 3-15 Big East 2011-2012; St. John's won both contests - 87-81 at DePaul, 79-72 at Carnesecca Arena)

Georgetown (24-9, 12-6 Big East; St. John's lost both contests - 71-61 at Georgetown, 69-49 at Madison Square Garden)

Notre Dame (22-12, 13-5; St. John's won the only matchup, in Madison Square Garden, 61-58)

Rutgers (14-18, 6-12 Big East; St. John's lost the only matchup between the teams, 61-58)

One local rivalry (Rutgers) gets the home-and-home treatment, unlike last year. The Scarlet Knights and the Red Storm are rebuilding rivals, both with highly-ranked recruiting classes expecting sophomore leaps.

The Red Storm continues to battle the old rival Georgetown Hoyas. The DePaul Blue Demons have a rising program, much like the Red Storm; Oliver Purnell's bunch wasn't far from knocking off the Red Storm last season. And Notre Dame, the one ranked opponent St. John's defeated last year, will remain a tough test.

All home and away opponents, below.

Last season, the Red Storm's schedule included a pair of marquee games - including a game against Kentucy in the SEC/ Big East Challenge, a solid tournament (Coaches vs Cancer), a road game against a mid-major opponent, a game against St. Francis, and a rumor that the Red Storm would play Rhode Island.

St. John's never did play Rhode Island, but the non-conference schedule looks fairly similar. A matchup against South Carolina in the Big East/ SEC challenge, a road game against mid-major San Francisco, a solid tournament in the Charleston Classic, and a "road" game in the Barclay's Center against St. Francis.

With a large new recruiting class that includes forwards JaKarr Sampson and Orlando Sanchez, and shot-blocker Chris Obekpa, a new point guard in Jamal Branch, a sharpshooter in Marco Bourgault, and a athlete in Felix Balamou, the Big East will see a different Red Storm - rife with options, and itching to take scalps.

For the other Big East pairings, see the Big East's official release.

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