The Holy Land of Hoops

Zags is reporting that the St. John's / Duke series is starting up again after a two year hiatus. Duke will play at MSG against the Johnnies at the end of January. The school has not yet confirmed it except to say SJU is in discussion with several high profile schools for 2014-2015. Johnnies will have a good non-conference slate. Pre-season NIT with possibly Minnesota, Gonzaga and Georgia, Syracuse at the Dome and now Duke at the Garden.

I assume this will be on FSN 1. If so this is the type of game that will generate viewership and the BE needs more like it. Good get.

'Rivalry' might be overstating things just a bit, don't you think?

Duke wants to play a game in NY/NJ for their large alumni base in the area, the opposing team is more or less happenstance.

Edrick wrote:'Rivalry' might be overstating things just a bit, don't you think?

Duke wants to play a game in NY/NJ for their large alumni base in the area, the opposing team is more or less happenstance.

No problem here, go play Queens College if its "more or less happenstance"...

Edrick wrote:'Rivalry' might be overstating things just a bit, don't you think?

Duke wants to play a game in NY/NJ for their large alumni base in the area, the opposing team is more or less happenstance.

This. Duke has won 15 of the last 18 games vs. St. John's. That's the kind of rivalry a hammer has with a nail. Congratulations to St. John's on continuing to host the Duke Alumni Club of New York Biennial Reunion.

This is a good thing. Helps the image of the Big East to schedule games like this and I'm sure FS1 isn't complaining.

We have played them every year for the last 18 years or so except the last two. And its been a home and home series so its not just Duke coming to the Garden. Johnies are still the last non-ACC team to beat Duke at Cameroon. The last time we played them was at Duke and we lost by six starting five freshmen. The game before that we trounced them at the Garden. It's not a smoking hot rivalry, but they have been on the schedule every year for the better part of the last two decades. The Garden will likely be 60-40 Johnnies which is what it was last Garden game.

redmen9194 wrote:We have played them every year for the last 18 years or so except the last two. And its been a home and home series so its not just Duke coming to the Garden. Johnies are still the last non-ACC team to beat Duke at Cameroon. The last time we played them was at Duke and we lost by six starting five freshmen. The game before that we trounced them at the Garden. It's not a smoking hot rivalry, but they have been on the schedule every year for the better part of the last two decades. The Garden will likely be 60-40 Johnnies which is what it was last Garden game.

That was Norm`s seniors revenge year/ Lavins first.
We beat every team that Norm`s seniors did not beat the first 3 years (well besides those guys from upstate.), we kicked the snot out of Duke on national TV, which even made it more sweet.
The Pitt game was the best that year though. Hardy`s layup with like 2seconds left.

Cunningham is expected to announce this week, and his coach said the visit to SJU over the weekend went very well.
Thomas is visiting today.

If we get these two, plus 6`11 Adonis and the change of heart by CO, then we should be ok in the front court.

Talent wise, I'm not worried about next season. We will finish in the top 3 in the league. We finished tied for third this season with an 0-5 start. The seniors that left were not big losses. Sampson is a loss but we should be OK without him. They just have to make sure they don't start out 0-5...

redmen9194 wrote:Talent wise, I'm not worried about next season. We will finish in the top 3 in the league. We finished tied for third this season with an 0-5 start. The seniors that left were not big losses. Sampson is a loss but we should be OK without him. They just have to make sure they don't start out 0-5...

Wow. Really?