PHILADELPHIA — St. John’s went with the safe approach, opting to rest ailing forward Chris Obekpa (left ankle strain) and guard Jamal Branch (groin strain) ahead of next week’s Big East Tournament.
You’re not going to hang with fourth-ranked Villanova that way, let alone beat them.
The shorthanded Red Storm were overwhelmed after a hot shooting start, dominated in the paint and worn down on the perimeter by the far deeper Wildcats in a humiliating 105-68 loss to the Big East regular-season champions at Wells Fargo Center on Saturday.
“Coaches know, if you’re in this long enough, you’re down two of your best players and you’re facing the best team in the country — or a team [that is] one of a handful of the best teams in the country — you’re going to take it on the chin,” St. John’s coach Steve Lavin said. “With Chris Obekpa and Jamal Branch out, odds are it’s going to be a long day. Villanova played lights out. There’s a reason they’re 29-2 and a have a No. 1 seed all but locked up.”
“They’re playing at a very high level. They’re playing the best basketball of any team in the country, and we saw that on display.”
Villanova’s 12th straight victory was their seventh in as many games against the St. John’s seniors. It was also the first time in Big East play the Wildcats reached the century mark since Feb. 10, 2009.
St. John’s finished fifth in the Big East and will meet Providence in the conference quarterfinals Thursday at 2:30 p.m. A victory would’ve elevated the Red Storm (21-10, 10-8 Big East) to fourth in the league instead they suffered their worst loss since a 97-55 loss at Duke on Feb. 24, 2002.
Obekpa tweaked his left ankle late in Wednesday’s road win over Marquette, and Branch missed his second straight game after suffering a groin injury in a win over Georgetown Feb. 28. Lavin didn’t want to risk further injury for either player, considering his short bench and the two upperclassmen’s value to the team.
“It didn’t make sense to risk further damage,” Lavin said, speaking specifically about Obekpa.
Lavin expects both players to be available against Providence, when St. John’s looks for its first Big East Tournament victory since 2011, Lavin’s first year as the Johnnies coach.
The second meeting was similar to the first, won by Villanova (29-2, 16-2), 90-72 at the Garden on Jan. 6. That game was competitive until Villanova pulled away in the second half.
After a Rysheed Jordan 3-pointer on Saturday, St. John’s only trailed 62-58 early in the second half, but Villanova ripped off a 27-8 run, taking advantage of Obekpa’s absence in the paint. Forwards JayVaughn Pinkston and Daniel Ochefu (21 points) combined for 39 points on 15-of-18 shooting, 15 rebounds and five blocked shots, and had 12 in the run.
“He’s the best shot-blocker in the nation. With him not being in the middle, they got a lot of easy layups and put backs,” senior Phil Greene IV said of Obekpa. “We missed him a lot. We need him Thursday.”
Villanova owned the paint, outscoring St. John’s 48-18, scored 50 of the first 70 second-half points and shot 55 percent from the field overall while holding St. John’s to just 22 points following intermission.
The Wildcats actually trailed, 35-25, with 7:02 left in the first half and proceeded to score a mind-boggling 80 points over the final 27:02.
Jordan led the Red Storm with 21 points and eight assists and Greene had 16. Five Villanova players reached double figures and 10 scored.
“It’s tough, but we got to flush it,” Greene said. “It’s championship week now. It’s up for grabs. It’s a one game elimination. It’s at Madison Square Garden. We’re going to be prepared.”