St. John’s heads to Las Vegas for second big test of season

St. John’s is ready to take a chance on Las Vegas.

Rick Pitino’s Red Storm are ready for their second major test of the season as they head to the Players Era Championship in Sin City, where at least two tough matchups await them.

No. 14 St. John’s is scheduled to face No. 16 Iowa State on Monday and undefeated Baylor on Tuesday at Michelob ULTRA Arena.

If the Johnnies advance beyond the first two days of the tournament, they could face another NCAA heavyweight like No. 2 Houston, No. 7 Michigan or No. 11 Alabama.

“Iowa State and Houston are as tough to play as any team in basketball,” Pitino said Thursday night after beating Bucknell, 97-49, at Carnesecca Arena. “Their defense and rebounding are relentless. It’s great for us to face this competition.”

St. John’s, which began the season ranked fifth in the AP poll, is 3-1, with three blowout wins over Quinnipiac, William & Mary and Bucknell.

However, the Red Storm’s only loss came against Alabama at Madison Square Garden in their only ranked game of the regular season thus far. The Johnnies’ backcourt struggled defensively against Alabama’s high-powered offense in that 103-96 loss.

St. John’s also lost a preseason game to Michigan at the Garden, 96-94 in overtime, in a game it played to win.

“We’re a deep team with a good attitude,” said Pitino, who added a vaunted transfer class to a roster that brought back forward/center Zuby Ejiofor, the Big East’s preseason player of the year.

“Whether we go 3-0 or 2-1 [in Las Vegas]we won’t get too high or be disappointed. We’re just going to keep playing and getting better.

The Players Era Championship is an 18-team tournament, but only four schools advance after the first two days. Point differential, points scored and points allowed determine tiebreakers.

The championship game and third-place game are scheduled to take place on Wednesday.

St. John’s first team is an Iowa State team with the fifth-best defensive efficiency in the country, according to KenPom.

The Cyclones boast enviable continuity, as guard Tamin Lipsey and forwards Joshua Jefferson and Milan Momcilovic – the team’s top three scorers – all returned from last season’s squad.

Lipsey, a preseason All-Big 12 selection, is averaging 19.0 points, 5.8 assists and 3.8 steals per game, while 6-9 Jefferson is averaging 18.8 points and a team-high 7.8 rebounds.

The Cyclones are 4-0, but Monday’s game against the Johnnies will be their first against a ranked opponent.

Baylor, meanwhile, is 3-0 but has yet to face a ranked foe. Sophomore guard Cameron Carr, a projected second-round pick, averages 23.7 points per game to rank third in the Big 12.

Big 12 coaches picked Iowa State to finish fifth and Baylor to finish seventh in the loaded conference.

“I played in the Big 12 for three years. I can’t get out of it,” said St. John’s forward Dillon Mitchell, who previously played for Texas and Cincinnati.

“I know what it’s like to play against Iowa State and Baylor. They’re physical and big, and I’ll be able to tell the guys what to expect.”

St. John’s went 31-5 last season, but faces a much tougher non-conference schedule this year as Pitino attempts to identify his team’s weaknesses early on.

After the Las Vegas tournament, St. John’s will face Chris Beard-led Ole Miss at the Garden on Dec. 6.

St. John’s is also scheduled to face No. 12 Kentucky at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Dec. 20.

“We have four new starters, so it takes time,” Pitino said. “We’re going to get better and better.”