St. John’s suffered its most horrendous loss in the Norm Roberts era, a defeat so demoralizing that it could cripple the season.
Leading by 11 at halftime and playing its best offensive ball of the season, the Red Storm came unglued after D.J. Kennedy, its leading scorer and rebounder, was ejected with 17:03 left in the game. Kennedy picked up two technical fouls for jawing with Cincinnati’s Rashad Bishop, who also was ejected.
Already gutted by the loss of point guard Malik Boothe (thumb), reserve point forward Rob Thomas (groin) and swingman Anthony Mason Jr. (foot), St. John’s unraveled and suffered a horrific, 71-60 loss to Cincinnati in a Big East Conference foulathon at Carnesecca Arena.
“It’s upsetting, not disheartening,” a clearly upset Roberts said.
When asked why the loss was upsetting, the frustration of this season’s injuries and losses combined with four-plus seasons of pushing a boulder up a hill spilled out of Roberts.
“Because [of] the situation that happened,” Roberts said, referring to Kennedy’s ejection. “I asked, ‘Could I remove my guy? I asked could I go on the court and grab my guy? I was told, ‘No.’ And then he was thrown out.”
Lead referee Curtis Shaw said the double ejections were warranted because both players received a first technical from official Karl Hess and were given 10-15 seconds to back off. When they didn’t, Shaw tossed them.
With Kennedy out, Roberts was forced to play an all-freshmen backcourt of Quincy Roberts and Ty Edmondson, and the Bearcats went after the Red Storm like sharks go after blood in the water.
St. John’s scored just 17 points over the final 17:03 after the double ejections. Cincinnati scored 36.
“Our guys showed a lot of resiliency in battling back,” Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin said.
Therein lies the bottom line reason why this loss arguably was one of the worst suffered by a St. John’s team in Carnesecca Arena and it could have been the worst ever for Roberts.
This was not a loss to one of the Big East’s nationally ranked teams, rather a shocking collapse against another rebuilding team that has suffered its share of injuries. Cincinnati (13-7 overall, 3-4 Big East) lost its projected starting point guard, Cashmere Wright (knee), before the season started.
Nevertheless, when the going got tough and testy, the Red Storm (10-8, 1-5) blinked. They allowed the ridiculously tight officiating to get in their heads. They wilted against the press.
Even Roberts felt the pressure, snapping at a reporter who asked if the double ejections affected the game.
“Don’t you think it did?” Roberts fired back. “I think it did.”
Of course losing Kennedy, the team’s leading scorer (13.5) and rebounder (7.1) and a solid defender and ball-handler was a more crippling blow than Cincinnati losing Bishop, who had 12 points before the ejection. Kennedy had six.
Kennedy manned-up after the game, taking total responsibility for the defeat and pledged to never again be ejected.
“I just apologized in the locker room,” Kennedy said.
Can a team that has now lost seven of its last eight and is on a season-long four-game losing streak rebound from such a shocking collapse? If last night is any indication, the answer is no. lenn.robbins@nypost.com
Cincinnati 71 St. John’s 60