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00:07This is Eye of the Storm, a St. John's video series presented by the New York Post.
00:13What's up, everybody? New faces, big expectations, and we got ourselves a big question.
00:18How far can the Johnnies go? Welcome back to the Eye of the Storm of Dexter Henry.
00:22Joined by our great writer for the New York Post, the great beat writer, the one and only
00:26Zach Braziller, who's smiling because it is college basketball time, and he is so excited
00:31here.
00:31Well, I remember when I was in here a year ago, I think I was telling you, I didn't think
00:36Mike Brown was the answer, so I was just thinking back to that conversation, and, you know, not
00:40exactly. If you look at my college football picks, you won't be surprised that I was wrong
00:44for that.
00:45So what Zach is saying, even though we're about to do a season preview, maybe you shouldn't
00:49trust anything that he has to say.
00:51But we're here, St. John's, to get ready to play the season opener, Monmouth on November
00:542nd, and we're here to help you get ready.
00:56Hopefully, Zach has some good answers for you.
00:58We're going to look at Rick Pitino's new look roster.
01:00There's a lot of new faces to the Big East title race, and the possibilities come this
01:04March.
01:05So we're going to break it all down on a season preview.
01:06And Zach, this year, I'm telling you, the people are going to want you to be right.
01:10Okay?
01:10They want you to be right.
01:11You know what?
01:11I was looking at some of my preseason predictions for last year's.
01:15I was pretty close.
01:17I said slow start.
01:18I don't think it was as slow as I thought.
01:20You did say that.
01:20I said slow start.
01:21I said split the Big East title with UConn.
01:23And I undersold them.
01:25They made the Big East title.
01:26And I said a lead eight.
01:27I said three seed.
01:28They were five.
01:29And hey, they were pretty damn close to the lead eight.
01:31You know, gave Duke everything they could handle in the Sweet 16.
01:33And yeah, it was definitely, I don't think I was that far off.
01:38Yeah, you were.
01:39I guess what I learned from that is.
01:40I called Dylan Mitchell the X Factor.
01:41He was definitely the X Factor.
01:42You did.
01:43You did say that.
01:44I guess what people should take from that is trust Zach with St. John's and college basketball.
01:48To an extent.
01:48Don't trust him.
01:49Don't trust him with the NBA.
01:51Or college football.
01:51Or college football.
01:52You might be wrong at that.
01:54Let's talk about St. John's and their exhibition season, which is interesting.
01:59You had an interesting one.
02:00I didn't get to go to any of the games.
02:01But they went from needing four overtimes against Rutgers.
02:04Then they beat Texas, which you talked to me about.
02:06We talked about it before.
02:07It was going to be a really good test.
02:08They win that one 87 to 74.
02:11What changed the most between those games that encourages you about this team and where they can go?
02:17Yeah, I mean, they, you know, there was that about 15 minutes of the Rutgers game where they outscored them
02:23like 30.
02:24After an awful first half where they're down to 18.
02:26Then the first 15 minutes of the second half, they outscored them like 30 to 5.
02:30So there was, it wasn't like Rutgers was a complete dud.
02:33I know Pitino said he gave it an F.
02:35But it wasn't like Rutgers was awful.
02:36I think Rutgers actually has improved.
02:38They have a lot of guys back.
02:40But it was the three big, they have the potential of three 20-point scores with Ian Jackson, Tunde Yasufu,
02:48and Keyshawn Hall.
02:49All three of those guys were terrific in the Texas game.
02:52Attacking the rim, making shots.
02:54And then you have Quinn Ellis orchestrating the early point guard, who I think has a chance to be the
02:58best St. John's pure point guard, you know, since Omar Cook, Eric Barkley.
03:03That's not a knock on Qadari Richmond.
03:05You know, it just, he's just, he controls the game.
03:10He doesn't have to score to make an impact.
03:13I think he had like three turnovers in the entire preseason.
03:18He could score more than he's shown.
03:21He's terrific.
03:22And then you have those guys.
03:23And I think the, you know, the most unreported or just biggest takeaway I had was the freshman center, Theo
03:33Adema, who was really good against Texas.
03:35He had like seven rebounds and a block in 12 minutes.
03:38And Texas has a really good front line.
03:40They have one of the best centers in the country.
03:43TCU transfer David Punches, their power forward, is really good.
03:45And Theo Adema had to play more than they thought because Ruben Prey on foul trouble.
03:50He was really good.
03:51He really should be a senior in high school.
03:53He's, but he's got a college body.
03:55He's 6'11", 250.
03:57You know, they love his motor.
03:59And he was good.
04:00And I think he's going to play a role for them off the bench.
04:03I was, that was a very, you know, pleasant surprise.
04:07It's a team that, you know, is a little, they're, they're a big team, but they're a little undersized at
04:12center, if that makes sense.
04:13Like they're going to have really good positional size.
04:15When you look at Babakar Sane, who's 6'7", 6'8", Keyshawn Hall, who's 6'7".
04:20You have, you know, the guards are all 6'4", 6'5".
04:22So they have good positional size, but they're not huge at center.
04:25Ruben Prey is 6'10".
04:27But Theo Adema is a guy that I think, they think is going to be really good in time.
04:31And, you know, he's someone I think could really carve out a role for himself off the bench, especially against
04:36bigger teams.
04:36And you saw that against Texas.
04:39It was just, they played, they played really hard.
04:42For the most part, they played smart.
04:44Turnovers have been something Patino has talked about all preseason.
04:49Yeah, I mean, they, they play with a real purpose.
04:51Like that, that, you know, the early part of the schedule is not very tough.
04:55So Texas was kind of like their last big-time opponent until they go to Vegas Thanksgiving week.
05:00So it was, you know, I do think we need to also take in mind, like, keep in mind, you
05:05know, Rutgers is improved.
05:06And Rutgers has a lot of guys back.
05:07Texas has really one key guy back.
05:09And so, like, Texas didn't look very good.
05:14And I think some of that was St. John's.
05:16But some of that's just a new team.
05:17And it, like, takes these teams' time.
05:19And I think it was actually a very smart thing the way they made this schedule where the first, you
05:25know, they do play Syracuse.
05:26But Syracuse isn't supposed to be, you know, better than a top 50, 75 team.
05:30So their first five games are games they could kind of work out some stuff as they try to figure
05:35out who they are
05:35and not really necessarily worry about losing a game.
05:40And then they go to Vegas where they'll really be tested.
05:42But I think it's good where the first three weeks or so of the season, you know, is, you know,
05:47they open with Monmouth.
05:48They play Iona.
05:50You know, they play teams that they're going to beat.
05:52Right.
05:53And it gives them time to kind of figure out who they are.
05:55Yeah, it's going to be interesting to see if they figure out who they are.
05:57Speaking of that, after the Texas win, Patino still said this group understands roughly half of what he wants from
06:03them offensively, defensively.
06:04Now, you've been around Patino for a long time.
06:06We know he's never going to be comfortable and wants to see his team get to the right place they
06:10want to get.
06:11What do you think is the biggest thing that this team needs to grasp, maybe in those first couple of
06:16weeks, before they get to Vegas?
06:17Yeah, I mean, it's like learning to play together.
06:20You know, they really didn't have a summer together.
06:24You know, Reed Bailey and Keyshawn Hall, two key guys, didn't join until the end of August.
06:30Quinn Ellis and Baba Karsane kind of came in June.
06:32Like, they didn't really have a summer.
06:34So this team wasn't together until, you know, the start of the fall semester, which is like the end of
06:40August, right around Labor Day weekend.
06:41So they haven't, basically, which is why that Texas game really impressed me was, and look, I'm not saying it
06:47was a perfect game by any stretch.
06:48They were, you know, I didn't think the end was great.
06:52They were up by like 22 at one point.
06:54But that's really what impressed me is, like, how good they, like, I don't think I've seen a Patino team
06:59here look that good in, even in November, as they looked in that Texas game.
07:04And look, it's an exhibition.
07:06Texas wasn't great.
07:07They're, they got some young guys.
07:09They have some really good returning players, but they're a work in progress, like a lot of teams are this
07:13year.
07:13But I was just impressed by how sharp they looked and how hard they played, and they did look cohesive,
07:18which really you didn't see a ton of in the first two games.
07:21But that, that thing is learning, learning each other, learning, you know, how, you know, Quinn Ellis is a great
07:27passer, and guys sometimes surprises guys with passes.
07:30So it's, to me, the key is these next few weeks is just learning each other.
07:34Like, yes, you know, they got to learn more about the offense and the defense and all that stuff, but
07:39it's learning each other because this is so new.
07:41Yeah, it's all new, a whole bunch of new faces.
07:42I kind of want to get to you about the new faces and the new players on this roster.
07:46Let's start with the guy you talked about.
07:47Would you, you said Quinn Ellis could be the best pure point guard that the Johnnies have had since, who'd
07:53you say?
07:54You know, Eric Barkley.
07:55Eric Barkley.
07:55Okay, Eric Barkley, Mark Cook.
07:57Okay, so there, that, that's a good one.
07:58You look at his numbers in the preseason, 22 assists, three turnovers, that kind of speaks to the pure point
08:04guard nest that you've said.
08:05How does having that kind of decision maker with Ellis impact what Patino can get out of this team offensively
08:12this year?
08:13Yeah, yeah.
08:13This time of year, you don't, you rarely hear Patino just heap praise on guys.
08:16Even last year with Zuby, he, he would even sometimes say, well, I want to do this.
08:20Like, he loves Ellis.
08:22Not really having that top shelf point guard last year, I think, probably plays a little into that.
08:28But yeah, I mean, they have a ton of guys who want to score.
08:31I mentioned Jackson, I mentioned Ysufu, I mentioned Hall, you know, you have other guys, Ruben Prey, Babacar Sane, who,
08:40who, who thinks score first.
08:41So to have that point guard who's, like, thinking pass first, second, third, and fourth is such a, such a,
08:46a blessing.
08:47There was a play in the Texas game where he might have had, Ellis was on the baseline.
08:51He probably could have scored on a drive, but he kicked it out to Jackson, who was wide open in
08:55the corner for a three.
08:57And, like, it's that kind of stuff that, you know, ingratiates yourself to teammates.
09:03And, you know, it's, when you have a lot of guys who want to score, having that real pass first
09:08point guard who's going to live in the lane is really beneficial.
09:11I do think Ellis needs to look to score a little more.
09:14Okay.
09:15You know, because teams are going to play off him if he doesn't.
09:18And he can shoot.
09:19He's not, he's not a great shooter, but he's not a bad shooter.
09:22And I think he needs to be a little more aggressive because if not, you're, you're going to, you're going
09:28to see teams just kind of playing off of him.
09:30So he's got to be more willing to me to take shots.
09:33Now, part of it's a feeling out process.
09:35He's also going to the EuroLeague where he's played with older guys.
09:38So he's used to just deferring.
09:41And you don't want him necessarily taking the most, you don't want him taking the most shots or even the
09:45second most shots because they have such good scores.
09:47But I do think there needs to be an element of teams have to play up on him because otherwise,
09:53you know, it's going to make it tough for him to penetrate.
09:56Yeah, it's going to be interesting.
09:57And then when you talk about him, that brings us back to not a new player, but a player we
10:00both know and Ian Jackson and talked to him on Big East media day.
10:04This was a guy who said he's worked on his game a lot thus far.
10:07And so I think fans are going to be excited about that because he's returning to his natural shooting guard
10:12position.
10:12What do you think is going to look different about his game this season as opposed to last season?
10:16You know, the big difference I saw in the preseason, how he's going to the basket, you know, he last
10:22year, he would often start games like shooting threes and stuff like that.
10:26And he's really early in the game, especially the Texas game, but really aggressive going to the basket and he's
10:32good going to the rim.
10:33And that was one thing I heard in the, you know, in the preseason in practice that like guys were
10:37having trouble staying in front of him.
10:38And I do think the experience of him playing some point guard last year helps him.
10:43I feel like his ball handling is better.
10:46You know, he, look, he could have easily left.
10:49Last year did not go according to plan.
10:51I know there were people who were in his year saying he should leave.
10:54And, you know, Patino thought he was going to leave.
10:56And when Ian said he was staying, he was kind of surprised.
10:59And to me, it showed a lot of maturity.
11:01I think he's a guy that realized like jumping from school to school isn't the best for my development.
11:05He's also very close with Donovan Mitchell.
11:07Yeah, he is.
11:07So I do think that probably played a role.
11:11That definitely played a role as well.
11:12He talked about, you know, that and what a big jump Mitchell made in his second year with Patino at
11:17Louisville.
11:18I think he's having a really big year.
11:21He looked great in Texas.
11:22I thought he looked very good in the second half against Rutgers.
11:26Playing with Ellis is going to be great for him.
11:28Yeah, I think he's in line for, you know, I think they're going to have three guys that are going
11:33to average close to around 15 a game between him, Hall, and Yusufu.
11:36Yeah, there was a good confidence with him when we talked to him on Big East Media Day.
11:41He just felt very confident coming into this season.
11:43Now, you just mentioned Yusufu, Tunde Yusufu, 23 points, five assists, five steals against Texas.
11:51That's a pretty strong game.
11:52When I saw that, and not just looking at the numbers, but you look at how he plays, he looks
11:56like he's potential to be a really good two-way player.
11:59Do you see that for him?
12:01Yeah, the first two exhibitions, he kind of looked like he was a little unsure of himself.
12:05He wasn't aggressive.
12:07His shots weren't coming in.
12:09And then, you know, a few days before the Texas game, Patino talked to us and was like, he was
12:15really physical in the summer, but he has not been that same physical player in the fall.
12:19And I asked Tunde about that after Texas, and he was like, oh, I didn't even hear that.
12:22But they're always saying I need to be more aggressive.
12:24And he was like, he looked like a first-round pick in that game.
12:30It was making shots from three, attacking the rim, defending.
12:35Like, this is a guy who set the Baylor scoring record for a freshman last year.
12:39He's incredibly talented.
12:40It might have been a late first-round pick had he stayed in the draft.
12:43Like, he's really good.
12:46And he's another guy that's going to benefit from playing with Quinn Ellis.
12:49You know, he's a guy who had to, you know, Baylor had, a big part of Baylor's problems last year
12:55was they didn't have a point guard.
12:57So, a lot of his points had to come off his own creation, and now he's playing with a really
13:02good point guard who's going to get him open shots.
13:05And he is great in transition, as is Ellis, as is, you know, all these scorers.
13:11He was terrific in the Texas game.
13:13Late, you know, he kind of forced a few shots late, which Patino, you know, had said, like, he should
13:17have had more assists.
13:19But, yeah, he's, he kind of, you know, he looks like a grown man.
13:24He's built, you know, this team is going to overwhelm a lot of opponents on the wing, between him, with
13:31Hall.
13:33Offensively or defensively or both?
13:34Both, I mean both, because they're physical, they're skilled.
13:38You know, Keyshawn Hall's great scoring around the basket.
13:40He can shoot threes, shot like 38% last year at Auburn.
13:43Like, they're going to really be, be tough on the, that's their strength.
13:48I mean, they're going to, like, you throw some of these guys they have out there.
13:52Like, they can come at you in waves on the wing.
13:56They're incredibly talented.
13:57It's kind of, kind of reminds me of what they had in the paint last year, but on the wing.
14:01But on the wing.
14:01You know, last year you had the three guys who got drafted, Edge of Ford, Mitchell, and Hopkins.
14:05And it was so hard to deal with all three of those guys.
14:07And the thing I think you like about Hall and Yusufu and Ian and Quinn is, like, these guys are,
14:15like, have the physicality of scoring the paint.
14:17Ian's put on weight.
14:18Like, there were some plays where he, like, finished over guys and through guys.
14:22And you didn't, like, in that Texas game.
14:24You didn't see that last year.
14:24Right.
14:24You did not see that last year.
14:25So, like, yeah, that to me, it's the clear strength of this team is their athletes and their positional size
14:32on the perimeter.
14:32Like, you're going to, you know, I mean, they can go 6'5", 6'7", 6'8", 6'7".
14:42Like, they can go with, and these are guys who are supremely athletic, who can guard on the perimeter, who
14:47can, you know, score in and out.
14:49Like, they have a chance, their perimeter, they have a chance to have as good of a perimeter as there
14:52is in the country.
14:53Which, you mentioned this guy in that group, too.
14:55So, Keyshawn Hall.
14:57Two things for me.
14:57It's like, where do you see him playing?
14:59Is he going to, is he three, four?
15:01Where do you see him?
15:02Where do you see him playing?
15:03And then, how does he create, what's the biggest matchup problems that he's going to create from other teams?
15:09Because it seems like versatility is such a tool for him, but where do you see him wrecking havoc for
15:14other teams?
15:14Yeah, I mean, with St. John's, the three and the four are kind of interchangeable.
15:18He's going to, right now, he's starting at the four.
15:21You know, they've at times used him a little in that Dylan Mitchell role, like ball handling.
15:27Okay.
15:27Especially when Ellis is out of the game, he can handle the ball.
15:31He's a better passer than people realize.
15:33You know, the Texas game, he was really good around the rim, scoring against bigger guys.
15:39That's one thing.
15:40Like, he gets to the line.
15:42He makes free throws.
15:44Yeah, he's the kind of guy, like, if you want to put, like, a quick athletic guy, he can kind
15:48of post him up over Palmer a little bit.
15:49You want to put a bigger guy on him to take away his, you know, interior scoring, he can stretch
15:54him out and go by him.
15:56Yeah, he's, you know, he's not quite as physical as Bryce Hopkins,
16:01but he kind of reminds me a little of that game where, like, he can make threes, he can score
16:06inside.
16:06He, like, he's an underrated rebounder.
16:10And he's a guy, like, you know, he hasn't really won.
16:12You know, he's bounced around and he hasn't won.
16:16And that's the thing.
16:17Pitino has been really harping on the preseason with him, with Tunde, with some of the other guys, new guys
16:24in the program.
16:24It's like, and he's been on them, like, you've put up good numbers, but I don't care about your good
16:28numbers.
16:29You did it losing.
16:30Like, the big thing with him is teaching these guys, like, playing the right way and what winning basketball looks
16:36like.
16:37And, you know, I think that Rutgers game was a way to call and he had, like, he crushed them
16:41all week, as he's known to do.
16:44Yeah.
16:45Said in the media, we're going to probably lose by 30, which.
16:48You were like, you rolled your eyes at that.
16:50Well, I wasn't sure if they were quite ready for a Texas.
16:53I mean, Texas has got the potential to be really good.
16:56Right.
16:56The center is one of the best players in the country.
16:58They have a big-time point guard from Colorado.
16:59David Punch at four is really good.
17:01They have two top 25 freshmen.
17:05But, yeah, I mean, I was really impressed by how they responded.
17:08And even that they won that Rutgers game.
17:10They were down 18 early.
17:11They were sleepwalking.
17:12They had a six-point.
17:14They should have won regulation.
17:15They had a six-point lead, like six minutes left.
17:17They flushed it.
17:18And they found ways to, you know, keep the game going and win.
17:21And, like I said, I don't think, I'm not saying Rutgers is going to be a tournament team, but, like,
17:25I think they're improved.
17:27And they have a lot of returning.
17:28I think they have, like, four of their top seven scorers back.
17:30Like, that matters, especially this early when you're playing new teams.
17:35So, you know.
17:36So, for them to find a way.
17:37Yeah.
17:37You've got to get much of four over time.
17:39Right.
17:39I think that that mattered that they didn't, number one, that they didn't let that first half get to them
17:44and that they found a way to win.
17:46And, like, that stuff early in the year matters, especially as now we're going to this stretch where you would
17:51think they're going to win some of these games pretty handily.
17:53Yeah.
17:54It'll be interesting.
17:54Another guy I want to talk to you about, Barbara Carsane, because he started the preseason good, 17-8, had
18:00it in the first game.
18:02What does he need to show consistently with the St. John's team that Patino's going to trust him?
18:07He's going to have a major role.
18:08Shot selection.
18:10Shot selection.
18:11Shot selection.
18:12How are you going to say?
18:12Another time?
18:13Shot selection?
18:14Like, they think he has the chance to be really good, but he doesn't really know how to play.
18:23Like, I actually, he didn't play a lot, but I liked what he did in Texas.
18:27I thought he made quick decisions.
18:28He was aggressive.
18:29He attacked.
18:30Like, he's a 6'8 guy who plays small ball center.
18:33He's built like a truck.
18:36He can jump through the roof.
18:38He can make shots from three.
18:42It's just going to take some time.
18:43You know, he doesn't grasp shot selection thing, what's a good shot, what's a bad shot, but he's got a
18:57world of ability.
18:58And right now, he's their sixth man, and that's a hell of a sixth man to have.
19:02Now, he's got another court case coming up, so we'll see how all that stuff works out.
19:06The eligibility stuff, we'll see how that works out, right?
19:08Yeah, he's currently on a temporary restraining order to be eligible.
19:13The crux of the matter is he signed an Exhibit 10 contract, which is like a no-no at the
19:18NCAA, even though he was literally under it for a month, never went to training camp, never played under control
19:24of the Jazz.
19:24But because he signed this piece of paper, you know, and his legal team is saying, well, he didn't get
19:32any benefits from it.
19:33You've cleared guys who've played, who've made more money overseas, who've had more pro experience.
19:39So we'll see how that goes.
19:42There's another hearing coming up on November 9th.
19:44He'll play in the first two games.
19:47You know, look, I think he's important, and he's a guy that could really, really get better later in the
19:54year.
19:54All right, that's one for fans to watch.
19:56All right, is there somebody else?
19:58Man, you might have mentioned this guy already.
19:59Is there a sleeper player on this St. John's roster that you think could have a real impact this season
20:04that fans should keep their eye on?
20:07You know, I mentioned Theo Adema.
20:09He's raw, but he's, you know.
20:12Do you think Patino will trust him if he sees more out of him beyond this Texas game?
20:16Yeah, look, I don't think he's a guy who we're going to see play in 20, 25 minutes.
20:20Right.
20:20But short doses, like, you know, and he's a guy who's coming in.
20:24He's always thinking about his rebounding, defense, and blocking shots.
20:28And, yeah, if the ball comes to him, he'll, you know, try to do something.
20:31But, like, that's one thing Patino has said.
20:33Like, everyone on this team wants to score.
20:34And this is a guy whose mind is just like, I'm in there just to rebound and play defense.
20:40And I really liked what I saw in Texas.
20:43He's, look, he's got a long way to go.
20:45He, like I mentioned, he should be a senior in high school.
20:48But he's someone, and then I'm going to give Casper Poto.
20:52He, the back, he played, he's named as the back of point guard.
20:58He was a very unheralded recruit a year ago.
21:01He was earning minutes, and then he had a hip thing.
21:04He needed a surgery.
21:04So he was done in early December.
21:06But I actually liked him last year.
21:07He can guard, and he gave him some good minutes against Texas.
21:11Like, and he's tough.
21:13Like I mentioned, he can defend.
21:15And, like, you want, you're going to play for Rick T.
21:17You better defend.
21:19And, you know, he's, he's a kid that's not scared.
21:23You know, I remember they threw him in against Alabama last year, second game of the year,
21:26because they couldn't stay in front of any Alabama guards.
21:28And he actually didn't do a bad job.
21:30I could see him, you know, being another guy that, he could end up being their first guard off the
21:36bench.
21:37But let's be, let's be real here.
21:38Quinn Ellis, Ian Jackson, Tunde are going to.
21:41They're going to bulk them.
21:42They're going to play.
21:43You're not going to see, especially Quinn Ellis.
21:45Yeah, I mean, you're not going to see him on the bench very much.
21:47But I think Casper Poto, the other day, he, you know, he opened eyes a little bit with how he
21:53played in Texas.
21:54And, you know, especially the early part of the schedule, I think you're going to see guys like him, like
21:58Theo Adema, you know,
22:01have played more minutes than maybe they will once we get deeper in the schedule just to see what they
22:06have.
22:06Yeah, good time to see what guys have early in the season so fans can look out for that too.
22:10I'm going to go back to something we talked about on media day.
22:13We saw where St. John's got picked.
22:15The coaches picked St. John's second behind UConn.
22:18How do you assess the matchup between the two schools that we assume are going to be going head-to
22:22-head?
22:23And do you think there's any other teams that could complicate the conference title race this year?
22:28I mean, I think the league has improved.
22:31I think Providence has done a nice job in the offseason.
22:33Brian Hodgins, I think, is going to be a really good coach there.
22:37Xavier had a very good offseason.
22:38They had more money to play with.
22:42Villanova.
22:42I like Marquette a lot.
22:44Nigel James Jr., one of the best point guards in the country.
22:47Long Island kid.
22:49But, yeah, I don't see anyone.
22:53It's going to be St. John's and UConn.
22:56I understand why UConn was picked first.
22:59They're ranked higher nationally.
23:00They have less question marks.
23:03I think the matchups are going to be great.
23:05I mean, let's just start a point guard.
23:07Silas DiMari Jr. against Quinn Ellis.
23:10I mean, UConn is probably going to be a little better inside.
23:15St. John's better on the perimeter when you look at the wings.
23:19Yeah, I think they're going to be great games.
23:20Did you pick St. John's to win the Big East?
23:23We haven't done that yet.
23:24Oh, you haven't done it yet?
23:24Okay, we won't let you know yet.
23:26I haven't revealed my Big East pick yet, but, look, I think they're both top-ten caliber teams.
23:32UConn had looked – you know, and UConn usually looks really good early.
23:35Yeah.
23:36They always have a lot of continuity.
23:38UConn has looked great in the preseason.
23:40They won at Michigan State, beat Syracuse handily, beat a Purdue team that's taking a major step back this year
23:47by 30.
23:49UConn look great.
23:51The backcourt's going to be terrific.
23:54The, you know, the Seton Hall center transfer to Jai Hines is going to be a force.
23:59I think Colbin Landrieu, their freshman guard, is really good.
24:03UConn's going to be really good.
24:04And I think St. John's going to be really good.
24:05I think there's going to be – you know, we're probably going to be sitting here in March where they
24:11split their two regular season meetings,
24:12getting ready for another Big East tournament championship game.
24:15I hope so.
24:16I mean, would anybody be shocked by that?
24:19Look, and I think the league's better.
24:20I think the league's getting around six teams in.
24:22I think Marquette's going to be good.
24:24I think Marquette is the third best team.
24:27So that – but do you think there's a drop-off between UConn and St. John's?
24:29I think Marquette's – I think Marquette's – I think Marquette, Providence, Xavier, Villanova, and, like, let's not forget Creighton.
24:36I think Creighton's got a shot to be good too.
24:38I think the league is looking at six to seven bands.
24:40It's a much improved league.
24:41I don't think St. John's or UConn are going 18-2 again.
24:44That's not going to happen.
24:45I think the winner of this league probably is somewhere 16-4, 15-5, and that should help seeding for
24:52everyone.
24:53But, yeah, I just – I don't – I just think St. John's and UConn are just – are better
24:59than everyone else.
24:59Class above everybody else right now.
25:01So, for fans, when Monmouth comes to Karnasek Arena on November 2nd, first game of the season, Zach will be
25:08there.
25:08We will be there.
25:08We'll have some fun guys after the game.
25:10Zach can't wait for this.
25:12What do you think fans, viewers should watch beyond the final score that will tell them, hey, this is the
25:17progress we saw from the preseason now to night one of the regular season, non-conference players?
25:22Turnovers, limiting them.
25:23That's been an issue all fall.
25:25I thought they did a much better job in the Texas game.
25:28The defensive rebounding.
25:30It was very bad against Rutgers, better against Texas, although it wasn't great at late.
25:36That's another area of focus because, look, rebounding, this is all about being playing together.
25:44It's about learning each other.
25:45Those, to me, are the two.
25:47You want to see them make some threes.
25:49They haven't really shot the three well, although they have plenty of guys who can shoot.
25:54We joke about the St. John's tax.
25:56Guys come here with a great three-point percentage, and then they come here, and it drops like 10%.
26:00So we call it the St. John's tax.
26:02I like that.
26:04Hopefully we don't see that.
26:07But, yeah, no, I think that those are the two.
26:09Defense rebounding turnovers, to me, are pivotal.
26:12Like, look, I fully expect them to win, you know, to be fine and to be going to Vegas undefeated.
26:19But those are the areas, you know.
26:23And, look, last year's team really struggled with defensive rebounding until, like, January.
26:26Yeah.
26:27So, but those are clearly, because a lot of that defensive rebounding is communication.
26:32It's physicality.
26:33It's toughness.
26:34And so much more than the Texas game.
26:37Okay.
26:38Here's the last thing for me here, Zach.
26:39Because we've seen with the St. John's team, consecutive regular season biggies titles and tournament titles.
26:47Okay.
26:48Back to back.
26:49And a Sweet 16 experience last year.
26:50You talked about how close they were to the Elite Eight.
26:52Yeah.
26:53The standard when this happens generally rises.
26:55Okay.
26:56Okay?
26:56Around the fan base and different people.
26:59What do you believe will be a successful season for this Red Storm team this year,
27:04and how deep can they go in the NCAA tournament?
27:09I'm going to say Elite Eight.
27:10I know there are going to be fans who say, oh, we've got to get to the Final Four.
27:12I'm going to say Elite Eight.
27:13Okay.
27:14Just take it one step further.
27:15I think Elite Eight would be a successful season.
27:18I don't really care, like, you win the league.
27:20I'm sorry.
27:21I don't.
27:22Yes, it would be nice to say, oh, we won the league three years in a row.
27:24That would be nice.
27:25No doubt.
27:26But I think much more important is March and going a step further.
27:31And, yeah.
27:32Look, can this team go to the Final Four?
27:33Of course.
27:33I mean, last year's team, if they beat Duke, I think they would have won to the National.
27:38I don't think they would have won, but I think they would have won to the National Championship
27:40and lost to Michigan.
27:41I think they would have beat UConn.
27:44You know, the one thing that gets forgotten, you know, going to a rabbit hole, the one thing
27:47that gets forgotten is, like, Duke needed their point guard, Caleb Foster, to play silly
27:51play 25 minutes on a – he had just broken his foot like three weeks ago.
27:55Yeah.
27:56Three weeks prior.
27:56And then, of course, two days later against UConn, he had nothing because they weren't
28:00going to play him that much, he had nothing left because he was playing on a broken foot.
28:04And if he was, like, you know, he was healthy, that's a different – I think St.
28:08John's would go to the National Championship if they beat Duke.
28:09I do.
28:10I think they probably would have lost to Michigan, but I think they would have gotten there,
28:14which is – they just needed a little more out of the backcourt, and they didn't get it.
28:19All right.
28:19But, yeah, I say a lead eight is, to me, would be a successful season.
28:23And, yeah, look, I think the schedule is set up better for them to have – you know,
28:32get some good non-conference wins because they have this month to kind of work on things.
28:36They go to Vegas, figure they'll beat Oregon the first game, then they get either Louisville
28:40or Texas Tech.
28:41They come home, they get Arizona here, they go to Alabama.
28:45Alabama, the fact that arguably their two biggest games, Arizona and Alabama,
28:49are until, like, mid-December definitely helps.
28:54And, yeah, I mean, I – so, look, I think it's important for them to get a few big
28:59non-conference wins just for seeding, although the Big East is better.
29:02That should help them with seeding.
29:03Right.
29:04Like, last year it was, like, you better beat UConn or you're not going to have a big win.
29:07Right.
29:07So, that hurt, even though they did have the one win over UConn during the regular season.
29:14But, yeah, so I do think it'll help that they'll have more chances for good wins.
29:18But you can beat an Arizona, you can beat a Louisville or Texas Tech.
29:22That goes a long way when the seeding comes.
29:25And, you know, who knows what happens last year if there were two or three seeds
29:28instead of a five.
29:29Right.
29:30Things could have been different.
29:31Although I did enjoy going to San Diego.
29:33Of course.
29:34Of course.
29:35There wouldn't be a show with Zach if he didn't tell you about the trips he enjoys going to.
29:38San Diego.
29:38Including the fact that he'll be going to Vegas for a couple of days.
29:42It's not bad.
29:42It's not bad.
29:43How many days will we be on Vegas?
29:45Three, four?
29:45Well, it depends.
29:46So, they play the Tuesday.
29:49Yeah.
29:49They're off Wednesday.
29:50Then they play Thursday and Friday.
29:51But if they win their first three, then they play in a championship game that Saturday.
29:55That's a post-Thanksgiving tournament?
29:57No, it's during Thanksgiving.
29:59Let's just say the wife's not happy.
30:01She's got to spend time with her parents and my parents for Thanksgiving.
30:05That's going to be a rough day for her.
30:06I'm not going to say anything about that.
30:07And when I do see your wife, because I do always do see her at least once a year, I
30:12will just say, I'm sorry.
30:14I'm sorry.
30:16Zach bailed on the family.
30:17She's a soldier.
30:18She can deal with it.
30:19She is a soldier.
30:21Although, I'll pay for it when I get home.
30:22I'm sure you will.
30:23I have no doubt about that.
30:25I'm sure you will.
30:26Well, another trip for Zach Brasile.
30:27He always gets a nice trip with the Johnnies during the race.
30:29Why don't you come, man?
30:30You're trying to get me in trouble at home.
30:33Nah, I'm not trying to be you.
30:34Come to Vegas, man.
30:35Come to Vegas?
30:36We'd have a good time out there.
30:37Yeah.
30:38I think we would.
30:39All right, I'll think about it.
30:40See if I'm going to get in trouble for Thanksgiving or not.
30:41You heard from Zach.
30:43He is picking.
30:44Should I say picking?
30:45St. John's?
30:46Elite Eight?
30:46Are we going there as a pick?
30:47Yes.
30:47All right.
30:48I'm going to say Elite Eight.
30:49Elite Eight.
30:50St. John's going to Elite Eight.
30:51I haven't decided on the regular season, but Elite Eight.
30:53We'll leave that for the people.
30:55Elite Eight.
30:55Elite Eight.
30:56That's fair.
30:57Okay.
30:57Elite Eight, we'll take it.
30:58That's it.
30:59I think they have the talent to go that far.
31:01Nah, there is.
31:02They have the chance to be.
31:03Step forward?
31:04I think they have the chance to be the.
31:05I think this has the chance to be the best team they've had here.
31:07I do.
31:08They have.
31:09To me, it's their best balance.
31:11Like, you know, think about it.
31:13Two years ago, they really didn't.
31:14They couldn't shoot.
31:15Nope.
31:15Last year, there was just all the frontcourt.
31:18This year.
31:19Well, yes.
31:20The strength is the backcourt.
31:21I don't think they're nearly as weak in the frontcourt as they were in the backcourt last year.
31:26I think Ruben Prey, given opportunity, is going to come on and be a more than suitable center.
31:32I think Theo Dem has a chance to be a nice, complimentary piece.
31:35Reed Bailey brings you another dimension, you know, as like a ball mover at the five.
31:41Like, I think they can be.
31:43I think this has the chance, you know, if everything goes right, to be their best team.
31:47Yeah, it feels like it should be the best team.
31:48Most explosive, definitely.
31:49Definitely.
31:50And it should be a fun team to watch.
31:51You know, they're going to play defense.
31:52It's never a question with him.
31:53They're going to guard.
31:54Yeah, I think they have a chance to be really good.
31:57It should be a fun year.
31:58The games at Carneseca and the games at the Garden are going to be a lot of fun.
32:01I will be there with Zach for the first game at Carneseca on November 2nd.
32:05That's going to be a fun day before Zach leaves us all and goes to Vegas.
32:08Zach, always appreciate you, man.
32:09I will see you soon.
32:10Everybody, thank you for joining us on the season preview for the St. John's Red Storm.
32:14For the great Zach Rosilla, I'm Dexter Henry.
32:16We'll catch you next time.
32:19We'll see you next time.
32:19We'll see you next time.
32:19We'll see you next time.
32:20We'll see you next time.
32:20We'll see you next time.
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32:21We'll see you next time.
32:21We'll see you next time.
32:22We'll see you next time.
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32:23We'll see you next time.
32:24We'll see you next time.
32:24We'll see you next time.
32:25We'll see you next time.
32:25We'll see you next time.
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32:26We'll see you next time.
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32:30We'll see you next time.