Crimson Tide Runs Over Red Storm
Photo: St. John’s Men’s Basketball
By Robert Rizzo
Despite acknowledging it and simulating Alabama’s fast tempo of play during practices, No. 5 St. John’s was unable to keep the #15 ranked Crimson Tide in check Saturday afternoon at Madison Square Garden, falling by a final score of 103-96.
“Anytime you lose, you’re disappointed, but they were a better basketball team than us tonight,” Pitino said. “We could not guard them off the dribble. Very few teams can, they got excellent offensive talent.”
Recording its first loss of the young season, an early litmus test, going up against a legitimate national championship contender, the Johnnies made six three pointers as a team (6-17, 35.3%), but allowed the Tide to pull up from as far as Rockefeller Center, banking 11 threes (11-35, 31.4%).
Additionally, St. John’s failed to crash the glass, losing the rebound battle, 43-42, offensive board contest, 14-10, and same goes for points scored in the paint, yet by a much larger margin of 54-40.
“He’s got one of the best teams in the country, they’ll be one of the best teams when it comes down to it,” Alabama head coach Nate Oats said of St. John’s and Pitino. “Whether we won or lost, this was great for us.”
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