Overview
- St. John’s defeated Monmouth in its season opener on Monday as Keyshawn Hall scored 26 points and Ian Jackson and Quinn Ellis provided key support, but the team showed second-half lapses that coach Rick Pitino flagged for correction.
- Fifth-year transfers Keyshawn Hall and Reed Bailey plus former G League player Babacar Sane remain active under temporary restraining orders that preserve court access while their NCAA eligibility is contested.
- Babacar Sane has a scheduled hearing in Queens Supreme Court on November 9, and further court rulings or NCAA decisions could force lineup changes or remove rotation depth.
- The roster is widely viewed as Pitino’s best at St. John’s, driven by a top-ranked transfer class and preseason AP No. 13 status, yet exhibitions exposed inconsistency in spacing, rebounding, and defensive assignments that Pitino wants fixed.
- How the legal process plays out will shape short-term rotation choices and could affect St. John’s nonconference tests and NCAA Tournament seeding so pay attention to upcoming hearings and the team’s next marquee games.