St. John's Dominates Texas in Preseason Finale, Exceeding Coach Pitino's Expectations

St. John's delivered an emphatic performance in its preseason finale, defeating No. 7 Texas 87-74 at Madison Square Garden. The victory, which saw the Red Storm leading early and maintaining control throughout, exceeded the cautious expectations set by head coach Rick Pitino just days prior.

Pitino, a Hall of Fame coach, had publicly expressed concerns about his team's readiness, particularly after a grueling quadruple-overtime win against Rutgers the previous week. He had warned that the matchup against Texas could be "ugly" and that his squad was not yet prepared for such a high-caliber opponent. However, the team responded with a performance Pitino described as a "quantum leap."

"I felt that we had to make a quantum leap from the Rutgers game," Pitino stated after the game. "I was on them constantly about certain things and they made a quantum leap today." The win positioned St. John's as a team worthy of their preseason No. 13 ranking.

Forward Keyshawn Hall led the charge with 24 points on 8-of-13 shooting, emphasizing the team's focus on setting a dominant tone. "We wanted to come out and set a standard and be dominant in our home court," Hall said. "We had to come out and not let them guys get ahead of us or be more physical than us and play harder than us. We match up skill-wise with probably anybody in the country. It’s the physical toughness and little intangibles that are going to matter."

The Red Storm's offensive firepower was evident, with Hall, Ian Jackson, and Tounde Yessoufou combining for 65 points on 23-of-41 shooting. The team's defense also played a crucial role, converting 16 Texas turnovers into 20 points. Quinn Ellis facilitated the offense with his steady play, recording seven assists as part of the team's 19 total assists on 34 made field goals. Freshman center Theo Edema provided a solid contribution off the bench with seven rebounds.

The Texas Longhorns, who had made significant offseason additions through transfers, presented a formidable challenge. Their roster included notable transfers like forward David Punch and point guard Isaiah Johnson, alongside returning center Matas Vokietaitis. This exhibition game mirrored last year's contest against eventual national champion Michigan, which St. John's lost in overtime.

St. John's addressed previous interior weaknesses, out-rebounding Texas by five and outscoring them 22-0 in the paint. "That’s the main key if you want to win, is to hit people," said Yessoufou, who contributed 23 points, five assists, five steals, and four rebounds. "That’s what [Pitino] always emphasizes to all of us."

Despite the convincing win, Hall and Yessoufou acknowledged areas for improvement, citing defensive lapses and rebounding shortcomings. Pitino noted that the team, with only two key returners from the previous season, understands about half of his complex system. Nevertheless, the progress made over the past week has shifted Pitino's perspective, suggesting the team might be ready for the upcoming Players Era Festival in Las Vegas. "I think we can be ready now," Pitino said. "I wasn’t sure after the Rutgers game. We just have to cram."

The Red Storm is set to begin its regular season against Monmouth on November 2.