ELEVATION: Cardinals’ Gorgui Dieng battles Chris Obekpa for a rebound during St. John’s 72-58 loss last night in Louisville. (Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Before St. John’s embarked on its most brutal stretch of the season — a four-game swing that likely would make or break its NCAA Tournament chances — coach Steve Lavin said we would have a better handle on this squad.
Here’s what we know: They are scrappers, but not elite.
The Johnnies lost their second straight game for the first time in a month, getting toppled by No. 12 Louisville, 72-58, in the sold-out KFC Yum! Center, but the Red Storm did not go down without a fight. Just as they didn’t quietly when they began this four-game stretch with a scuffle-marred loss at Georgetown.
As was the case in each game during this stretch in which St. John’s went 1-3, it got off the mat when an early knockout seemed imminent. At the end of the night, the Red Storm had been in against better, more experienced fighters.
“Any time you get young guys to play that hard not back down for one second in this environment 22,000 people, it’s very special,’’ said Louisville coach Rick Pitino. “I think they have a great future.’’
Perhaps. But the immediate future, an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament, is looking grim.
St. John’s (15-10, 7-6 Big East) was playing shorthanded. Lavin missed his second straight game mourning the loss of his father, Albert “Cap’’ Lavin, who died last weekend. Point guard Jamal Branch missed his third straight game with a sprained left knee suffered in the loss at Georgetown when that game got chippy.
Last night’s battle got feisty with 10:55 left. Louisville had just surged to a 46-38 lead, behind the torrid scoring of Russ Smith, who had a game-high 24. Peyton Siva drove the lane and tried a back pass to Montrezl Harrell. He fumbled the ball and went to the court. Chris Obekpa went with him and D’Angelo Harrison got the tie-up.
As the players tried to untangle, Obekpa and Harrell certainly didn’t wish each other a happy Valentine’s Day. Harrison, who must talk in his sleep, started chatting. Bodies came together. Harrell and Sir’Dominic Pointer were assessed offsetting technical fouls. The skirmish sparked a 7-1 spurt that gave the Cardinals a 52-39 lead.
“I love the fight of this team,’’ said Rico Hines, who moved into the first chair in Lavin’s absence. “I told these guys a few minutes ago how much I love their fight. You know, we had three things on the board: Play hard, play smart and play for Coach Lav and his family. They did two of them.’’
They played hard but got overwhelmed in the paint (32-16) by a more mature and physical Louisville team. Phil Greene IV led the Red Storm with 21 points.
Louisville (20-5, 8-4), coming off a five-overtime loss at Notre Dame, was itching for a fight.
The teams St. John’s lost to in this stretch — No. 15-ranked Georgetown, No. 6 Syracuse and No. 12 Louisville — are elite. But don’t tell that to the Johnnies.
“We don’t believe in moral victories, but we still have the fight in us,’’ Harrison said.
* Harrison, who scored 18 points giving him 1,001 for his career, joined the 1,000-point club in 57 games, the eighth-fastest in school history, just ahead of the legendary Chris Mullin.