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BigEast1 wrote:SJU87 I hope you're right but one game against an unknown Italian team does not suddenly turn St. John's into a Syracuse type team. They lost pretty badly last week to a team from France during their trip. Again, I hope you end up being right about them but lets wait and see how they fare in the Big East.

That European tour is one more thing that will make them better this year.

The Johnnies after losing Harrison tailed off, which is understandable. PC beat them in an excellent hard-fought tight game late at the Dunk, great crowd and electric atmosphere on a Saturday night, but Harrison could've definitely made a difference. One thing I think they should do on offense is to keep pounding it down low to Sampson... between him and Obepka with putbacks, and now with Sanchez, they can be unstoppable... instead Sampson for one tends to take a ton of 15 foot jumpshots, which they hit a lot of, but the percentages catch up to you. I think they'll be top 3 in the BE this year.

Harrison wasn't a reliable 3 pt threat. He shot 31.5% from three and averaged 2 a game. His absence hurt but there really wasn't anyone forcing the defense to extend itself. Any semblance of a sniper will be huge. Harrison is needed but I do think his absence wasn't totally negative. I think the offense became a bit more diversified where I think Harrison often let it become isolation one on one late in the shot clock late in games.

If Hooper can translate his Europe performance to the NCAA this year, SJU will be a totally different team.