Overview
- St. John’s enters at 4-3 and ranked No. 23 after a 1-2 showing in Las Vegas, falling to Iowa State and Auburn after leading in the second half.
- Pitino has blasted the team’s defense and rebounding, noting all three losses featured at least 83 points allowed, a deficit on the glass, and blown leads, a sharp drop from last season’s elite efficiency.
- Starting point guard Dylan Darling, limited by an IT-band-related leg issue against Auburn and previously sidelined by a calf strain, practiced fully and is described as good to go.
- Pitino plans a rotation change with Joson Sanon moving to the bench as he searches for a more defensive starting look, with Ole Miss wing and former Johnnie AJ Storr among the key matchups.
- Ole Miss has dropped three straight, and coach Chris Beard has challenged effort and shuffled rotations after a 75-66 loss to Miami, setting up a slump-stopping test at MSG.