SJU - Game Notes

SJU

• St. John’s faces its sixth nationally-ranked opponent of the season in No. 23 Butler. The Red Storm’s strength of schedule is top 40 in the nation. 

• The last time the Red Storm knocked off a Top-25 team on the road was Jan. 5, 2013 at No. 14/15 Cincinnati (53-52).

• St. John’s is tied for seventh in the nation averaging 6.1 BPG. Freshman forward Kassoum Yakwe leads the BIG EAST in conference play averaging 2.6 rejections. Yakwe’s 6 blocks versus Marquette last Saturday tied freshman teammate Yankuba Sima and Golden Eagles forward Luke Fischer for the most by a BIG EAST player this season. 

• With 9 new scholarship players, the Red Storm has started at least 2 freshmen in all 18 games this season. Freshman guard Federico Mussini has started all 18 games and ranks second in the BIG EAST playing 33.3 minutes per game. Mussini is one of 4 St. John’s freshmen to receive the starting nod this season (Sima, Ellison, Yakwe). 

• St. John’s starting lineups in BIG EAST play have feature ve players from ve different countries. The Red Storm has six international players on its roster which is tied for the second-most in all of Division I. 

• The Red Storm plays its fourth true road game of the year. Durand Johnson and Felix Balamou have each averaged 10.7 PPG on the road. Balamou has shot 52.2% in these contests. Freshman forward Kassoum Yakwe has averaged 8.3 points and 5.3 rebounds.

About the Series with Butler 

Record 

St. John’s leads 3-2, 2-2 in BIG EAST (1-1 home, 1-1 away, 1-0 neutral) 

Overview 

St. John’s and Butler will meet for the sixth time in a series that dates back to the 1958 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) at Madison Square Garden. St. John’s won the first 3 meetings in the series before being swept in the regular-season last year. St. John’s only win at Hinkle Fieldhouse came in the programs’ rst meeting as BIG EAST members on Jan. 25, 2014. 

Coaches 

Chris Holtmann is in his second season as head coach at Butler. He has a 35-15 record with the Bulldogs and a 79-69 overall mark. Holtmann spent 3 season prior to joining the Butler staff as head coach at Gardner-Webb. 

Chris Mullin is in his first year as head coach at St. John’s. He was named the 20th coach in program history on April 1, 2015. Mullin returned to his alma mater with nearly a decade of NBA front office experience with the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings. Mullin is the only current Division I coach to be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player.

SJU NOTES

PREVIOUS STARTERS

F - 14 - Kassoum Yakwe (12-2)  - BIG EAST leader averaging 2.6 blocks in conference games 

F - 2 - Christian Jones (18-18) - Scored double-figures 6 times; Team’ssecondleadingrebounder 

G/F - 24 - Ron Mvouika (18-16) - 15.7 ppg (55.6 FG%, 50.0 3FG%, 90.9 FT%) last 3 games 

PG - 10 - Felix Balamou (12-5) - Team-high 2.8 assists per game; 8.0 points in BIG EAST play 

SG - 4 Federico Mussini (18-18) - Second in BIG EAST with 41 3FGs and sixth with 86.5 FT pct 

OFF THE BENCH

G - 0 - Malik Ellison (10-2) - 7.6 points with team-high 16 FGM in BIG EAST games 

G - 1 - Amar Alibegovic (18-0) - Four double-digit scoring efforts; 12 points vs. Georgetown 

G/F - 5 - Durand Johnson (18-13) - Scored double-figures 9 of the last 11 games 

G - 12 - Elijah Holifield (6-0) - Played a season-high 9 minutes versus Chaminade 

C - 35 - Yankuba Sima* (16-16) - BIG EAST blocks leader (3.1) and 12th in rebounding (6.8)

* injured (broken hand)

STARTERS

#2 CHRISTIAN JONES • R-JR. • F • 6-7 • 230 

• One of two Red Storm players to start all 18 games in 15-16
• T-10th in BIG EAST averaging 2.2 offensive rebounds in conference action 4 Leadsteamwithtwodouble-doubles, most recent vs NJIT(10 points, 11 rebounds) 

#4 FEDERICO MUSSINI • FR. • G • 6-1 • 160 

• Scoreddouble-figuresinthelastthreegameswith13.3ppg,3.3apgand3.03FGM 
• Drained13straightfree-throws;BIGEASTleader11-for-11FTinconferenceplay 
• Second among BIG EAST freshmen with 12.8 scoring average 

#10 FELIX BALAMOU • SR. • G • 6-4 • 205 

• Led team in assists six of 12 appearances, including career-high seven assists vs Rutgers
• Team-high 2.8 assists per game and 1.2 assist-to-turnover ratio
• Started all ve BIG EAST contests, averaged 8.0 points (40.0 FG pct) 

#14 KASSOUM YAKWE • FR. • F • 6-7 • 205 

• Averaged 9.5 rebounds, 4.5 blocks and 7.0 points in last two starts
• BIG EAST leader averaging 2.6 blocks in conference games
• Recorded nine points, 11 rebounds and six blocks in first-career start vs. Marquette 

#24 RON MVOUIKA • GR. • G/F • 6-6 • 210 

• T-4th in BIG EAST shooting 92.3 pct (12-13) at the free-throw line in league games 
• Team-high 15.7 ppg and 3.5 assist-to-turnover ratio in last three games 
• 4th in BIG EAST shooting 42.1 pct from 3-point range (24-57 3FG) 

Quick Facts Location: Queens, N.Y. 

Conference: BIG EAST Enrollment: 20,881 Founded: 1870
Colors: Red and White
Nickname: Red Storm
Arena (Capacity): Madison Square Garden (19,786) - Carnesecca Arena (5,602)
President: Conrado “Bobby” Gempesaw, Ph.D. 

Interim Athletics Director: Joseph Oliva, Esq. 2014-15 

Overall Record: 21-12
2014-15 Conference Record: 10-8, 5th


Basketball History First Year of Basketball: 1907-08
Overall All-Time Record: 1,802-967
NCAA Tournament Apps./Last: 28/2015
NCAA Final Fours: 2 (1952, 1985)
NCAAEliteEights: 6(1951,1952,1979,1985,1991,1999) NCAA Sweet Sixteens: 9 (1951, 1952, 1967, 1969, 1979, 1983, 1985, 1991, 1999)
BIG EAST Championships: 8 (Tournament Champions — 1983, 1986, 2000; Regular Season Champions — 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1992)