BY JOSEPH STASZEWSKI
Optimism can evaporate quickly.
Is St. John’s expected to beat Niagara at home Saturday? Sure. But if they don’t, the juice it created with four impressive performances against inferior opponents to start the season could start to evaporate
The Purple Eagles are not Miami, but they are not St. Francis College either.
Niagara (4-3) won the MAAC tournament to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament last season. It was picked to finish third in the conference this year. Niagara has two preseason All-MAAC selections in senior Charron Fisher and sophomore Tyrone Lewis. Fisher is averaging 27 points and 8.6 rebounds while Lewis averages 14.0 points and 5.4 boards. A loss Saturday would be St. John’s second straight after falling to Miami 66-47 all the way back on Dec. 2.
Rust could be a factor.
The Red Storm (4-1) will need to answer some questions about its shooting. It is shooting 44.6 percent for the season, but shot a dreadful 30 percent against Miami and just 38.2 percent against Long Island University in the game prior. Just two bad nights or a sign of what’s to come as the opposition becomes more formidable? Saturday could start to give us a clearer idea.
A Red Storm win mean you can still adamantly believe the team will be fine without Anthony Mason Jr. for the majority of its non-league schedule. Also, it puts the Miami loss out of your mind, at least until St. John’s next true road game. Amazingly, it is the Red Storm’s Big East opener against Syracuse in the Carrier Dome on Jan. 2. St. John’s on the road is topic for another day though.
For now it’s about keeping the optimism palpable.