The Star's Bruce Pascoe previews all of the game day essentials, from projected starting lineups to storylines and series history, ahead of the Arizona Wildcats' Saturday night game against St. John's in San Francisco.Β
Game info
St. Johnβs (10-2) VS. No. 16 Arizona (10-2)
Where: Chase Center, San Francisco
When: Saturday, 8β―p.m.
TV: ESPN2
Radio: 1290-AM, 107.5-FMΒ
Follow:Β @TheWildcasterΒ on Twitter /Β TheWildcasterΒ on Facebook
Probable starters: Arizona
G Nico Mannion (6-3 freshman)
G Dylan Smith (6-5 senior)
F Josh Green (6-6 freshman)
F Zeke Nnaji (6-11 freshman)
C Chase Jeter (6-10 senior)
Probable starters: St. John's
G Nick Rutherford (6-3 senior)Β
G LJ Figueroa (6-7 junior)
F Josh Roberts (6-9 sophomore)
F Mustapha Heron (6-5 senior)
C Julian Champagnie (6-8 freshman)
How they match up
The series: Arizona has only played St. Johnβs once before, beating the Red Storm 81-72 in the semifinals of the 2K Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden in 2011. Solomon Hill led the Wildcats with 15 points while Jesse Perry had 11 points and nine rebounds.
Game contract: The Basketball Hall of Fame is paying Arizona $100,000 to play St. Johnβs as part of the Al Attles Classic, a four-game event the Hall of Fame is operating at the new Chase Center. UA is paying its own travel expenses, however.
St. Johnβs overview: Under Nolan Richardsonβs old protΓ©gΓ©, Mike Anderson, the Red Storm may not always give teams β40 minutes of hellβ but theyβre trying. The Johnnies play hard and go nine players deep in their bench, fueling a dogged press and offensive pace in which they shoot after an average of only 14.5 seconds into a possession. St. Johnβs usually presses after all made shots, free throws and dead balls, though Arizonaβs athleticism may test that strategy. St. Johnβs has the 25th best turnover percentage in Division I, forcing opponents into turnovers on 23.9% of their possessions, and holds opponents to just 43.1% from two-point range.
St. Johnβs is led by wings LJ Figueroa and Mustapha Huron, though Huron is questionable to play Saturday because of an ankle sprain. When Huron is available, heβs a 40.8% shooter from 3-point range but is most effective off the drive, hitting 40.3% of two-pointers and drawing an average of 6.0 fouls per 40 minutes plays, the 91st highest rate among Division I players. Figueroa is the Johnniesβ most prolific 3-point shooter, hitting at a 39.1% average, and heβs also a threat around the basket.
Power forward Julian Champagnie is an effective rebounder, especially defensively, while those heading to the basket might want to think twice when center Josh Roberts is there. Roberts blocks 11.2% of opponentsβ two-point shots, the 23rd best block percentage in Division I, while heβs also averaging 2.7 offensive rebounds (8.7 overall) per game. A midseason transfer from N.C. State, 6-9 forward Ian Steere, will also give additional size and skills inside for St. Johnβs in his debut on Saturday.
Β He said it
π Sean Millerβs scouting report on @StJohnsBBall: pic.twitter.com/avANey9pdj
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster) December 20, 2019
Key player (St. John's): LJ Figueroa
Regardless of Huronβs availability, the Wildcats will face a versatile inside-outside threat in Figueroa, a preseason second-team all Big East selection who is not only a 3-point threat but is also a crafty force around the basket.
Key player (Arizona): Nico Mannion
While the basketball IQ, ballhandling ability and athleticism of UAβs freshman point guard suggests he should be able to handle the Red Stormβs press, heβs also trying to work on fixing a shooting stroke that has mostly gone awry for the past three weeks.
Sidelines
History lesson
I asked Sean Miller what first comes to mind when he thinks St. Johnβs basketballThis is what he said... Miller also added Arizona is preparing for St. Johnβs guard Mustapha Heron (ankle) to play on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/pl5dT60zcK
— Justin Spears (@JustinESports) December 20, 2019
Especially because he grew up in the Pittsburgh area and played in the Big East for Pitt, UA coach Sean Miller didnβt need pause before answering when asked Friday what he thinks of when he thinks of St. Johnβs basketball program.
βWalter Berry. You remember him?β Miller said. βShelton Jones. Mark Jackson. Chris Mullin. That was right around my time. Those guys were really good. Malik Sealy. (Former St. Johnβs coach) Lou Carnesecca. Thatβs what I think of. But Mike Anderson is an excellent coach.β
The arena in Queens is named for Carnesecca, who is a Basketball Hall of Famer along with Mullin, who both played for and coached the Johnnies. Jackson was a NBA all-star while Sealy played eight seasons in the NBA before he was killed in an auto accident in 2000.
Staying focused
Sean Miller on Arizona staying locked in before the holiday break: pic.twitter.com/R0QqxsW5vC
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster) December 20, 2019
While Miller expressed concern this week that the Wildcats had to finish up fall semester academic work and prepare for their Christmas break β most of them will scatter directly from San Francisco on Sunday β history suggests that shouldnβt be a problem.
Under Miller, Arizona has gone 8-2 in its final game before Christmas, counting the 2012-13 season, when the Wildcats actually won the Diamond Head Classic final on Christmas Day.
βItβs really our entire staff β itβs Ryan Reynolds, our director of basketball operations, CATS academics, the tutors, not getting behind,β Miller said. βItβs staying on top of what theyβre doing all semester so that this last seven days theyβre not cramming or having to rally. Itβs much more doable than when you need to get a B or an A on a final paper to pass the class. I think coming into finals, our team was in a good place.β
Mystery man
North Carolina State transfer forward Ian Steere is scheduled to play his first game for St. Johnβs on Saturday β and only his second college game ever.
A former four-star recruit from North Carolina, Steere played only one game at N.C. State last season before transferring, making him a bit of an unknown heading into Saturday.
While Steere instantly becomes St. Johnβs biggest player, at 6-foot-9 and 245 pounds, St. Johnβs coach Mike Anderson said he wasnβt even sure exactly what the Red Storm will be getting from him.
βObviously, he brings some size and athletic ability,β Anderson said. βItβs how does that translate to games. Weβve had some guys get in foul trouble and weβve played small ball at times so hopefully, he can give us another skilled big guy who can go out and give us some good minutes.β
Numbers game
6
Straight games Chase Jeter has scored in double figures, averaging 13.7 points during a stretch that dates back to Nov. 28 against Pepperdine.
85.1
Average points Arizona has scored this season, fifth most in Division I.
150
Approximate radius in miles from campus that St. Johnβs has played all its previous games within.