St. John's basketball team faces challenges after summer adjustments

Rick Pitino stated that the St. John's basketball team is a work in progress, following their exhibition opener on Wednesday night. The team had a late start, with the full roster not coming together until the beginning of the fall semester. Transfers Keyshawn Hall and Reed Bailey joined the program at the end of August. Pitino noted, "I really love our upside. We’re just so far behind on the fundamentals," after the team won 81-52 against Drexel at Carnesecca Arena. He emphasized that while there is significant room for improvement, he was impressed with their defensive effort. Pitino highlighted two major issues from the game: defensive rebounding and turnovers, as Drexel secured 14 offensive rebounds and St. John's committed 19 turnovers. He expressed disappointment in the rebounding performance, stating, "We got to rebound the ball much better to go against Rutgers and Texas. That’s going to be the biggest point of emphasis." Bailey, an Indiana transfer, made a notable impact with eight points, five rebounds, and three steals in 14 minutes. Pitino praised Bailey's understanding of the game and his ability to play effectively without forcing shots. The starting lineup included Tounde Yessoufou and Babacar Sane, with Hall coming off the bench, and Pitino plans to rotate these players alongside Quinn Ellis, Ian Jackson, and Ruben Prey.