No. 13 St. John's Faces Tough Test Against No. 7 Texas
The Red Storm will face a highly-ranked Longhorns team in their final preseason game, which coach Rick Pitino described as a crucial gauge for improvement.
St. John's, ranked No. 13 nationally, is set to play its final preseason game against the No. 7 Texas Longhorns at Madison Square Garden. The matchup is viewed as a significant test for the new-look Red Storm squad, which has shown uneven performances in previous games against Drexel and Rutgers.
Texas is widely expected to be a top team in the country this season. Coach Sean Miller's Longhorns are characterized as a big, deep, and physical team, according to preseason rankings. This game provides a key barometer for St. John's, similar to an exhibition game played last season against eventual national champion Michigan.
Head coach Rick Pitino acknowledged the challenge, stating that his team is "nowhere near where we need to be on offensively or especially on defense to play a team like Texas." He emphasized that the game will be valuable for identifying areas needing improvement and development before the regular season begins. "This is a tremendous game for us, similar to Michigan last year," Pitino added.