St. John’s was going to lose a game at some point. It wasn’t going to run the table.
So, no, Wednesday’s setback at Villanova is no reason to panic. The concern doesn’t lie in falling two points short against a quality team on the road that should be a lot closer to the NCAA Tournament than it is.
The concern is the ongoing health issues for point guard Deivon Smith and the impact his absence has on the ninth-ranked Johnnies and their lack of depth.
Smith hasn’t been right since suffering that bruised right shoulder in a Jan. 11 win over Villanova at the Garden. He missed three games due to the injury, but in the three games he played upon his return, the dynamic senior wasn’t himself. He made just 4 of 28 shots. He didn’t make his usual impact.
