Sports

ROBERTS NEEDS ANSWERS FAST

It took until the 25th game of the season for Norm Roberts to either push the panic button or pull the makes-no-sense lever.

Faced with a must-win game at the Garden against Marquette, the St. John’s coach started true freshman Mike Cavataio for the first time this season.

This isn’t a knock on the 6-4 Cavataio. He understands the game and could be a productive Big East player if he adds muscle to his 190 pounds. But Roberts hasn’t given Cavataio (5.4 minutes per game) a chance to prove himself.

Yet with one of the Big East’s toughest and most athletic teams coming to the Garden, Roberts opted to play him in place of the hobbled DJ Kennedy (bruised tailbone) and Larry Wright (right ankle sprain).

When Roberts subbed Kennedy for Cavataio just 1:31 into the game, the lead was 5-0 Marquette. More important, the Golden Eagles had established themselves.

The lead grew to 54-31 before Marquette stopped attacking and St. John’s made it respectable, losing 73-64.

“I thought our guys did a fantastic job of setting the tone on defense, especially at the beginning of the game,” said Marquette coach Tom Crean.

For an offensively challenged team like St. John’s, the lowest scoring squad in the Big East, getting down early is a basketball death sentence. St. John’s fell to 10-15 on the season, 4-10 in the Big East, and is one of four teams in the Big East with 10 or more losses. The last four teams in the standings don’t qualify for the league tournament.

“I told them in the locker room I want them to have fun just play,” said Roberts. “The weight of the world is not on their shoulders. Just play.”

St. John’s didn’t play at the outset. The Red Storm seemed disjointed on offense, not surprising considering that in addition to Cavataio (zero points, two rebounds), Roberts went back to Dele Coker (four points; four rebounds) as his starting center. They had 16 turnovers in the first half and trailed 36-24.

“We just got to play from the jump,” said Kennedy.

Marquette, which spent the final 15 minutes milking the clock, improved to 19-6 and 9-5. St. John’s has four more league games to catch DePaul (5-8 in the league).

“I think Norm is tough,” Crean told The Post. “I think he’s principled. There’s no question he’s had success. I think Norm is building this program with a no-nonsense, we’re going to work full steam ahead. And when I look it, especially watching it on film, it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of, when?”

That’s the question that’s been plaguing most St. John’s fans.

*

St. John’s went 23-of-40 (57 percent) from the line. Larry Wright (right ankle sprain) and Tomas Jasiulionis (left ankle sprain) did not play.

lenn.robbins@nypost.com

Marquette 73 St. John’s 64