Rick Pitino Highlights Areas for Improvement After St. John's Exhibition Win

The St. John’s Red Storm basketball team began its exhibition schedule with an 81-52 victory against the Drexel Dragons at Carnesecca Arena. However, head coach Rick Pitino expressed concerns about the team's fundamentals and preparation as they approach the regular season.

While the Red Storm showcased strong defensive pressure, Pitino noted issues such as 19 turnovers and 14 offensive rebounds allowed, which highlighted weaknesses despite the lopsided score. He remarked that the team is approximately three weeks to a month behind due to a challenging offseason, which included late arrivals of key players and eligibility disputes.

Babacar Sane led the team with 17 points, while Ian Jackson added 10 points. The Red Storm will have additional exhibition games against Rutgers and Texas before their season opener against Monmouth on November 2.