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St. John's full schedule: Duke, Cuse, preseason NIT, and many NYC games

The Johnnies have a few opportunities to shine in the non-conference, and have a chance to put up a gaudy number of wins.

John Alber

A pivotal year for the new-look St. John's men's basketball squad now comes with a schedule featuring a pair of fan-favorite games, a number of cupcakes, the NIT Season Tip-Off, and no trips out of New York State before the New Year... when the squad travels to far-off Newark, New Jersey.

Today, following the release of the full Big East schedule by the conference, St. John's released this full slate:

Num Game Time Channel Month Date Day Pomeroy Rank
0-1 vs Humboldt State (EXH-CA) 2:00 Nov 1 Sa n/a
0-2 vs St. Thomas Aquinas (EXH-CA) Nov 8 Sa n/a
1 vs NJIT (CA) 7:00 FSN Nov 14 Fr 312
2 vs Franklin Pierce (CA-NIT) 7:30 Nov 17 Mo n/a
3 vs LIU-Brooklyn (CA-NIT) 7:30 ESPN3 Nov 19 We 320
4 vs Minnesota (MSG-NIT) 7:00 ESPNU Nov 26 We 48
5 vs Georgia/ Gonzaga (MSG-NIT) 4:30/ 7 ESPNU/ ESPN2 Nov 28 Fr 72/22
6 vs Niagara (CA) 7:00 FOX Sports 1 Dec 2 Tu 271
7 at Syracuse 5:15 ESPN2 Dec 6 Sa 16
8 vs Fairleigh Dickinson (CA) 8:00 CBSSN Dec 10 We 280
9 vs Fordham (MSG-Holiday) 1:30 FSN Dec 14 Su 204
10 vs Saint Mary's (CA) 7:00 FOX Sports 1 Dec 19 Fr 74
11 vs Long Beach State (CA) 7:30 FOX Sports 1 Dec 22 Mo 148
12 vs Tulane (Barclays) Noon FOX Sports 1 Dec 28 Su 282
13 at Seton Hall Noon FOX Sports 1 Dec 31 We 98
14 vs Butler (CA) 4/6:00 CBSSN Jan 3 Sa 104
15 vs Villanova (MSG) 9:00 FOX Sports 1 Jan 6 Tu 14
16 at Providence 7:00 FOX Sports 1 Jan 14 We 51
17 at DePaul 2:30 FOX Sports 1 Jan 18 Su 198
18 vs Marquette (MSG) 7:00 FOX Sports 1 Jan 21 We 76
19 vs Duke (MSG) 2:00 FOX Jan 25 Sa 13
20 at Creighton 9:00 FOX Sports 1 Jan 28 We 24
21 vs Providence (MSG) Noon FOX Jan 31 Sa 51
22 at Butler 7:00 FOX Sports 1 Feb 3 Tu 104
23 vs Creighton (MSG) Noon FSN Feb 7 Sa 24
24 vs DePaul (CA) 9:00 CBSSN Feb 11 We 198
25 at Xavier 3:00 FOX/FOX Sports 1 Feb 14 Sa 59
26 at Georgetown 7:00 FOX Sports 1 Feb 17 Tu 65
27 vs Seton Hall (CA) 2:30 FOX Sports 1 Feb 21 Sa 98
28 vs Xavier (MSG) 8:00 FOX Sports 1 Feb 23 Mo 59
31 vs Georgetown (MSG) Noon CBS Sports Feb 28 Sa 65
32 at Marquette 9:00 FOX Sports 1 Mar 4 We 76

Ten of the 31 regular-season games before the conference tournament will be played at Carnesecca Arena. Ten more games will be played at Madison Square Garden. One home game will be played at Barclays Arena. And the Big East's true round-robin, 18 game slate remains intact.

(And if this means anything to you, Steve Lavin's Red Storm play nine regular season games on Saturday, nine Wednesday games, and they have no Thursday games scheduled.)

The top end of the non-conference schedule is a little stronger. Last year's schedule had two teams that finished over top 25 in Kenpom (Wisconsin and Syracuse). This year, three teams - Duke, Syracuse and Gonzaga - ended last season in the top 25 of the tempo-free computer rankings. If St. John's gets to meet Gonzaga, the Red Storm will also play three of the most high-profile hoops programs in the country.

While that part of the schedule is strong, the bottom of the non-conference schedule is weaker than last year's ended up being. Last season, the Red Storm faced only two sub-250 teams in the KenPom rankings - Longwood (343) and Monmouth (272).

This season, the Red Storm play five sub-250 cupcakes, including two sub-300 squads: Niagara (271), Fairleigh Dickinson (280), Tulane (282), NJIT (312), and Long Island University (320). And that does not include a regular season matchup against Division II Franklin Pierce to fill a slot created by the NIT Season Tip-Off.

What do you think? Formidable schedule? Any minefields waiting for the Red Storm?