The big St. John’s flaw is getting worse — and poisoning offense

The St. John’s rebounding numbers aren’t pretty, but their effect goes beyond statistics. Sure, the Red Storm are last in the Big East in rebounding differential (-1.8) and defensive rebounding, but it’s the ripple effect that has created even more issues.

Every defensive rebound the Johnnies fail to grab creates another chance for the opposition, and often that provides the Red Storm one fewer transition opportunity, a part of the game at which they are at their best.

“We get a good stop, don’t get the rebound, even if they don’t score, it puts us back bringing the ball up,” St. John’s coach Chris Mullin said. “It … hurts our offense.”

As St. John’s (9-12, 3-5 Big East) enters Wednesday’s game at Providence, the issue is only getting worse. Angel Delgado posted the first 20-point, 20-rebound game in the Big East in seven years in Sunday’s loss to Seton Hall, as the Pirates hammered St. John’s, 45-33, on the glass. Villanova destroyed the Red Storm, 41-23, in the category Jan. 14.

Over the past four games, the Johnnies have been outrebounded by 56, and they have lost three of those games. The last game in which they won the rebounding battle was Jan. 7 against Xavier. The previous game in which St. John’s outrebounded its opponent was Dec. 11 against LIU Brooklyn.

Though the Red Storm’s frontline is thin, Mullin said he believes because of 6-foot-11 sophomore Tariq Owens and 6-foot-7 forward Kassoum Yakwe, they shouldn’t be getting crushed in the paint.

“The technique has to be a little better,” Mullin said. “Part of it is just being quicker to the ball.”

Mullin also said he thinks his team needs more from 6-foot-7 wing Bashir Ahmed, who leads the team in rebounding at 5.6 boards per game.

“There’s balls out there he [could] get,” Mullin said. “Loose balls sometimes are as important as a rebound. That can make up for two rebounds we lost.”

Because the Johnnies lack bulk, they need everyone to rebound.

Freshman guard Shamorie Ponds, just 6-foot-1, has gotten the message, averaging 4.9 rebounds. But, by contrast, Owens is averaging just 5.0 rebounds and Yakwe 3.5. Clearly, everyone has to chip in.

“I believe if we’re in the right places at the right times, we can battle with these teams,” freshman guard Marcus LoVett Jr. said. “That’s something we have to fix, and it’s fixable.

“I believe in my team. We have the pieces that we need to succeed. We just have to get it done out there.”