St. John’s Red Storm vs Kansas State Wildcats Picks and Predictions December 7th 2024

St. John’s Makes Emotional Return to Court vs. Kansas State

St. John’s will take the court with heavy hearts Saturday as the Red Storm host Kansas State in the Big 12-Big East Battle at Carnesecca Arena in Queens, New York.

Honoring Lou Carnesecca’s Legacy

The game marks the first for St. John’s (6-2) since the passing of legendary coach Lou Carnesecca, who died last week just shy of his 100th birthday. Carnesecca, who coached the Red Storm to 526 victories during his storied career, remains synonymous with the program.

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The Red Storm will honor Carnesecca by wearing patches that say “Lou” on their uniforms for the rest of the season. A video tribute and moment of silence will precede Saturday’s game in the arena that bears his name.

“I along with all the other coaches who coached here are caretakers of Lou’s legacy,” St. John’s coach Rick Pitino said earlier this week. “That’s all we are. We’re caretakers at St. John’s of what Lou built, and I’m very proud to be a caretaker of Lou’s legacy.”

Building the Nonconference Resume

The matchup against Kansas State (6-2) is St. John’s last chance to secure a notable nonconference win before beginning Big East play on Dec. 17. The Red Storm are coming off a 77-64 victory over Harvard last Saturday.

RJ Luis Jr. led the way with 24 points, while Kadary Richmond added 18 as St. John’s never trailed in the game.

Pitino, however, expressed concern about the Wildcats’ strengths matching up against his team’s weaknesses.

“They’re the deepest, most talented team and they’re very, very athletic,” Pitino said. “What they do is our weakness, which is the thing that scares me the most. They are a great 3-point shooting team.”

Kansas State’s Strong Start

Kansas State, making its first true road appearance this season, enters the game with confidence after a 120-73 rout of Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Sunday. The Wildcats shot an impressive 61.5 percent from the floor and drained 21 of 40 3-point attempts.

David N’Guessan leads the Wildcats in scoring (14.1 points per game) and contributed 17 points in the win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Achor Achor came off the bench to score a team-high 21 points, while Dug McDaniel added 18.

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“I feel like the team is starting to figure each other out,” Kansas State coach Jerome Tang said. “The staff, we’re starting to figure the guys out, so it’s going to be a great challenge for us, one game at a time, to see how much we can continue to grow.”

Key Storylines

• St. John’s Depth and Defense: The Red Storm will need to limit Kansas State’s potent 3-point shooting, as the Wildcats enter the game hitting 38.1 percent from beyond the arc.
• Emotional Motivation: Playing at Carnesecca Arena in honor of their legendary coach could inspire St. John’s to rise to the occasion against a tough opponent.
• Kansas State on the Road: The Wildcats face their first true road test, providing a measure of how well they’ve gelled early in the season.

Outlook

Saturday’s game is more than a clash between two programs with postseason aspirations; it’s a celebration of the legacy of one of college basketball’s most beloved figures. For St. John’s, channeling that emotion could be the key to securing a signature win.