St. Johns 2010 Preview & Predictions

St. John’s Red Storm Basketball 2010-2011 Preview, Predictions, Picks & Odds

With the College Basketball 2010-2011 Season just around the corner, we are providing season previews & predictions for all NCAA basketball teams to give you the betting edge this year. Follow the best College Basketball Handicappers as they analyze their teams in this 2010-2011 basketball season preview. Be sure to bookmark SportsbookBuzz.com your source for Sportsbook Reviews. Use our comprehensive and insider info to bet successfully on the College Basketball in our recommend online sportsbooks.View the rest of our 2010-2011 NCAA Basketball Season Previews here.

St. John

St. John’s 2009-2010 Record: 17-16 overall; 6-12 Big East (13th)

St. John’s Coach: Steve Lavin – At St. John’s: first year; . overall: 145-78,7 years

St. John’s Players to Watch: D.J. Kennedy took the term “all-around player” to the extreme last season, leading the Johnnies in scoring, rebounding, assists, minutes played, free-throw shooting and 3-point shooting (tied).

St. John’s Key Losses: Anthony Mason Jr., F, 6-7, 210 (7.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg)

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2010-2011 St. John’s Season Preview

Steve Lavin wasn’t naming names, but he claims he had plenty of other offers through the years to return to the coaching ranks before finally deciding to do so at St. John’s. Lavin, 45, had worked as a basketball analyst for ESPN since being fired by UCLA in 2003 after compiling a 145-78 record, though the last one ended in a 10-19 disaster. But this time was different. This was St. John’s, New York City, the Big East. Red Storm AD Chris Monasch was able to dangle a rare inducement for someone being asked to resurrect a once-proud program: Four returning starters and nine returning seniors, the most of any team in the country. Lavin, who took the Bruins to the Sweet 16 in five of his seven seasons, inherits a team with 94 percent of its scoring back.

St. John’s Backcourt

There wasn’t anything that 6-5 swingman D.J. Kennedy didn’t do for the Red Storm last season as he established himself as a star. He led the team in scoring, rebounds, assists, steals, minutes played and 3-point shooting. Combined with a healthy Dwight Hardy, who fought through knee issues in his first season from the JC ranks, off-guard Paris Horne and an experienced point guard in Malik Boothe, St. John’s is solid in the backcourt. Hardy was the team’s second-leading scorer and shot 38.3 percent from 3-point range despite playing just 22.2 minutes on average. Horne, who started 32 games last year and has 62 starts the past two seasons, brings athleticism and finishing ability, though his scoring dropped to 9.2 points per game as a junior after he averaged 14.6 as a sophomore.

St. John’s Frontcourt

The frontcourt-by-committee approach will continue, though Lavin was able to spice things up with his first recruit: 6-7 freshman Dwayne Polee Jr., the Los Angeles Player of the Year last season at powerhouse Westinghouse High School. Polee Jr.’s athleticism is something the group desperately needs. Otherwise, it’s basically the same bunch with senior Sean Evans back as a starter and looking to regain his sophomore form, burly Dele Coker clogging up the middle and Justin Burrell and Justin Brownlee helping in reserve. Burrell, an eight-game starter last year, shot 45.8 percent from the floor. He has to shed his nagging foul troubles, however. Brownlee, who has the ability to be a good rebounder and a better scorer, started three games last season. Evans was a bit of a disappointment after averaging 10.3 points and 7.1 rebounds as a sophomore. He averaged 6.7 and 5.9, respectively, last year.

2010-2011 St. John’s Predictions

The script almost seems too good to be true, even for Lavin’s old Hollywood stomping grounds: New coach inherits four returning starters and nine seniors from a 17-16 team at a school desperate to make its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2002. Lavin proved at UCLA that he can coach talent. He has just enough of it for his first year at St. John’s to make things interesting in Queens again. Possibly even NCAA Tournament interesting.

St. John’s Finish in the Big East: 9th

St. John’s Betting Odds

St. John’s Odds to Win 2010-2011 Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament: +20000
St. John’s Odds to Win the Big East: +1200

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St. John’s Basketball Handicapping Picks

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