Overview
- Rick Pitino, St. John's new coach, had a successful season opener with a 90-74 win over Stony Brook in front of a packed Carnesecca Arena.
- Senior center Joel Soriano led the team with a career-high 22 points, 11 rebounds and hit the first two 3-pointers of his college career, showing the impact of offseason training and Pitino's coaching.
- In addition to Soriano, the Red Storm's depth was showcased with seniors Daniss Jenkins, Chris Ledlum, and Jordan Dingle combining to score 68 points with strong performances.
- St. John's performance demonstrated their ability to dominate on the glass, shoot with precision from the 3-point line, and effectively run transitions, displaying a promising start to Pitino's tenure.
- St. John's next challenge will be facing Michigan at Madison Square Garden, a match that Pitino is keenly looking forward to, with the aim to continue improving as the season progresses.