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| Opponent | |
| Date |
Wednesday, December 10
|
| KenPom Ranking |
311
|
| KenPom Predicted Win % |
97.0%
|
| Location |
Home
|
| Venue |
Queens, N.Y. (Carnesecca Arena)
|
| Time |
8:00 p.m.
|
| 2013-14 Record |
10-21
|
| Key Players |
Mustafaa Jones (6'3", G, Sr.); Matt MacDonald (6'5", F, So.); Xavier Harris (6'6", F)
|
| Key Newcomers |
Darius Stokes (6'7", F, Sr.); Marques Townes (6'4", G, Fr.)
|
| Key Losses |
Sidney Sanders (5'11", G); Scooter Gillette (6'9", F); Mathias Seilund (6'7", F)
|
The Knights' preview in the Blue Ribbon Yearbook begins with the head coach saying "I don't know how many games we're going to win this year."
That's not a ringing endorsement, and this is the kind of game St. John's needs to handle, unlike Seton Hall and Rutgers, who both lost to the 10-win Knights last year. (The Knights also lost to Division II power Metro State last season.)
Iowa transfer Darius Stokes rarely played for the Hawkeyes but will have a chance to star; Mustafaa Jones is a reluctant-shooting guard who the Knights need to be more aggressive.
Last season’s Knights weren’t that short, but they were college basketball’s third-worst defensive rebounding team, fouling a bunch while also allowing many offensive boards.
Xavier Harris will man the center position at 6'6". The Knights got a lot of shots blocked last season.