St. John's to open season vs. Detroit as part of ESPN 24-Hour Tip-Off Marathon

We now know when, where, and against whom the St. John's Red Storm 2012-13 campaign will begin.

St. John's announced on Wednesday morning that Steve Lavin's Johnnies will take on the Detroit Titans on Tuesday, November 13th at 2pm as part of ESPN's 24-Hour Tip-Off Marathon. The game, which will be played at Carnesecca Arena, will be the third consecutive year the Red Storm opened its season on national television.

Ray McCallum's Titans will come to Queens as a return of the Red Storm's favor last season. St. John's played Detroit on their campus' Calihan Hall on the night the court was dedicated to ESPN analyst and former Titans coach Dick Vitale. The youthful and inexperienced Johnnies were overwhelmed by the atmosphere and the strong play of the Titans, falling 69-63 to cap a three-game losing streak.

Detroit (22-14, 11-7 Horizon in 2011-12) is coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance as a 15-seed (they fell to Kansas in a spirited game). Though they were inconsistent at times last season, St. John's fans know that the Titans are a worthy opponent and will provide a difficult test for the Red Storm to open the season.

The Titans will return the coach's son, Ray McCallum Jr., who averaged 15.4 points per game last season and torched St. John's for 21 points in December.

It had been rumored during the spring that St. John's could host either Virginia Tech or Memphis, or that the game would take place at midnight. Instead, the Red Storm adds Detroit to a nonconference slate that already includes South Carolina, San Francisco, St. Francis (NY), and Fordham. The remainder of the schedule is expected to be released soon.

How do you feel about St. John's opening the season against Detroit on a weekday afternoon?

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