Chris Obekpa has hit his stride over the past three games, finding his scoring touch as well as regaining his game-changing ability as arguably the nation’s best shot-blocker.
The Red Storm’s sophomore center, however, hasn’t forgotten the one play he failed to make in this stretch, when he gave Creighton star and National Player of the Year candidate Doug McDermott just enough room to sink a game-winning 3-pointer in a heartbreaking 63-60 loss Jan. 28 in Omaha, Neb.
“I keep watching the play,” Obekpa said on Friday in advance of Sunday’s rematch at the Garden. “It was a game-winning shot. It’s gonna bother me for sure.”
He isn’t the only one still frustrated by the loss, St. John’s only setback in its past six.
The Red Storm (14-9, 4-6) held 12th-ranked and Big East co-leader Creighton (19-3, 9-1) 18 points below their average, rallied from 18 down with 12 minutes left and forced 17 turnovers, but was undone by McDermott’s last-second heroics.
“They’re another team in our way,” junior forward Sir’Dominic Pointer said. “We’ve been on a little run right now. they’re the only team that beat us. We owe them and we got to get them back.”
The game plan, coach Steve Lavin said on Friday, was to allow McDermott to get his points, while shutting down his teammates. It worked until the end. McDermott scored 39 of Creighton’s 63 points and was the only Bluejay in double figures.
This time, the Red Storm hope to contain McDermott, while staying home against Creighton’s bevy of sharpshooters.
“We just got to communicate,” Pointer said. “He got a lot of open shots he wasn’t supposed to [get]. We plan to change that this game, communicate with each other and making it hard for him to score.
“Last game he showed us what he can do. He beat us by himself pretty much. We can’t let that happen again.”
The Johnnies enter Sunday’s rematch red-hot, winners of five of six overall and four of five in the Big East. There still is plenty of work to be done — St. John’s is looking for its first victory over a ranked opponent — but the Red Storm have nudged their way into the NCAA Tournament conversation.
Road wins over Butler and Providence and home victories against Marquette and Seton Hall have gotten Lavin’s club on the run it desperately needed. It still is in search of a marquee win — the Johnnies have come close, losing narrowly to No. 2 Syracuse, No. 6 Villanova and most recently Creighton — and Sunday certainly would qualify.
“That’s our goal, to make the tournament,” Pointer said. “We need some big wins to do it. That’s point blank, period.”
Lavin is going for his 200th career victory and 55th as St. John’s coach. He’s 199-115 all-time in 11 seasons as a head coach.