QUEENS, N.Y. — The first week of college basketball is in the books for the Bobcats being blown out 96-73 Saturday afternoon.
“I think we look like we competed our ass is off for 20 minutes,” head coach Tom Pecora said. “Now we got to learn how to do it for 30 and then for 40.”
The matchup with the Red Storm was a tale of two halves with the Bobcats taking the first and St. John’s taking the second. In the first Quinnipiac jumped out to a four-point lead, 39-35.
The Red Storm haunted the Bobcats on the defensive side down low. It seemed anytime Quinnipiac tried to attack the cup, it was met by junior forward Zuby Ejiofor who had four blocked shots in the first half.
With the paint clogged, the Bobcats turned to their outside shooting, where sophomore guard Ryan Mabrey took center stage.
The Belmar, New Jersey native came into the game shooting 26.7% from the field. But Saturday, he flipped the narrative.
Mabrey shot the lights out draining his first five three-pointers and leading the team with 15 points in the first half.
“He came out of the gate and made shots,” Pecora said. “And that’s what he’s here to do. He’s capable of that.”
After graduate student forward Paul Otieno found himself in early foul trouble, freshman forward Spence Wewe was called off the bench.
Wewe made his presence known, running the floor and attacking the Red Storm whenever they came into the paint. turning one ball away.
“I think he continues to grow every day in practice and became better tonight with the lights on,” Pecora said. “I thought he was a force at times. He did some really good things
Even with the Preseason MAAC Player of the Year Amarri Monroe not able to buy a bucket, the Bobcats took a slim lead going into the half.
But that lead didn’t last long.
The Red Storm came out of the gates with an early 7-2 run that got 5,602 fans in Carnesecca Arena out of their seats and back into the game. The second half was all Red Storm.
Three players finished the second half with double digits for St. John’s — sophomore forward Brady Dunlap had 14, junior forward RJ Luis Jr. had 16 points and sophomore guard Simeon Wilcher had 13.
“I thought (Dunlap) had a few big threes in the first half,” St. John’s head coach Rick Pitino said. “I think Brady is the reason we blew them out.”
Dunlap caused problems for the Bobcats in both man and 2-3 zone which they cycled throughout the game.
“Dunlap was a handful against our zone,” Pecora said. “He was a zone buster for them, he made half of their threes.”
With 8:16 left in the game, Monroe, after colliding with Luis Jr. fell hard on the floor and spent an extended amount of time with the trainer.
This play rubbed salt in the wound for the Bobcats who already had poor scoring chances (36.7% from the field,) bad ball handling (14 turnovers) and failing to win a rebounding battle for the second time this season.
Monroe’s status is something to monitor over the next week as the Bobcats look to get back into the win column at home against Maine Nov. 15 at 7 p.m.
