It all happened in a blur. The comeback. The lead. Then the heartbreaking final minute.
What looked to be a blowout loss almost became a thrilling victory but ended up a disheartening defeat. St. John’s went from down 23, to up five, then on the short end of a 60-58 decision against No. 11 Butler at stunned Carnesecca Arena in Queens on New Year’s Eve.
The Red Storm had one last chance with 13.4 seconds left, after coughing up a five-point lead in the final 3:08, but Rasheem Dunn lost control of the ball on a drive. The ball caromed between a few players, winding up in LJ Figueroa’s hands, and his desperation heave at the horn was well short, and St. John’s dropped its Big East opener for the second consecutive season in excruciating fashion.
“I told our guys I’ve never been prouder of a team,” coach Mike Anderson said. “We were just a play way from pulling off [a great win] against an outstanding basketball team. My guys left it out on the floor.”
As the team left the floor, the large crowd gave them a fitting ovation, for a stirring comeback that saw them rally without Mustapha Heron (ankle) and Figueroa, who went scoreless in 13 foul-plagued minutes. The Johnnies (11-3, 0-1 Big East) gave their fans quite a show.
“I had so much fun tonight,” senior point guard Nick Rutherford said. “Crazy energy.”
Rutherford led St. John’s with season-highs of 15 points and six steals. Dunn added 12 and Greg Williams Jr. had 11 points, four assists and three steals. Kamar Baldwin, battling a left ankle injury he sustained in the first half, scored 19 points for Butler (13-1, 1-0).
After a dreadful first half, St. John’s came roaring back, picking up full-court and turning up its trademark pressure defense, eliminating a 21-point deficit at the break. It forced 16 second half turnovers — two more than Butler’s season-high entering the game — and 24 altogether. It all started with Rutherford. The graduate transfer from Monmouth began the half with all-out hustle, sending his body into the scorer’s table at one point to try to save a steal. It would spread.
A 39-16 deficit got cut to 46-43, after Rutherford’s steal and slam. Butler was having trouble even getting the ball to mid-court. When they did, the Bulldogs struggled getting off quality shots. Shot-clock violations and desperation 3-pointers became the Bulldogs’ offense. St. John’s, meanwhile, was red-hot, forcing the ball into the paint, turning turnovers into easy baskets. Rutherford’s slam capped a 21-2 run, almost all with Figueroa on the bench. It didn’t end there. Rutherford set up a David Caraher 3-pointer to pull them even at 46, and then Marcellus Earlington scored inside to give the Johnnies their first lead, at 48-46, since 2-0.
“It’s our brand of basketball,” Williams said.
Added Butler coach LaVall Jordan: “You can see it on film. You can’t simulate what they do in practice, how quick their hands are, the speed of some of the traps.”
When Williams hit a left-corner 3-pointer, pushing the lead to four with 4:59, the building nearly collapsed. But Butler had the final run, scoring the game’s final seven points. Sean McDermott and Jordan Tucker each hit two free throws to cut the lead to one and then Christian David’s 3-pointer with 43 seconds left — the junior’s only points of the night after the Red Storm couldn’t secure the defensive rebound — would provide the difference as St. John’s missed its final five shots from the field.
“They made the right plays at the right time,” Anderson said. “We dug a hole and we got back in it. That’s the most encouraging thing. But at the end of the day, they made plays.”
Even in defeat, there were plenty of reasons for optimism. So much went wrong. Heron didn’t play and Figueroa didn’t score. St. John’s shot 34 percent from the field, made just 4 of 22 3-point attempts and was outrebounded by 22. Still, the game was right there to be won.
“To be honest, you want to win, but you can’t be disappointed,” Rutherford said. “Back against the wall, all you can do is fight and we fought the whole second half. We had the game, but that’s a good team, so credit them for bringing home the ‘W.’”