By R.L. Bynum
When Ian Jackson walks onto the court as St. John’s starting point guard against Iona, it will mark a turning point in a journey back home to New York that began with high expectations and hard lessons.
For the first time since the season opener, the sophomore will start and run the offense, a role Red Storm coach Rick Pitino said was earned through months of growth and persistence.
Pitino announced at a press conference on Thursday that he would start Jackson. He said the reasons Jackson came off the bench the last seven games for St. John’s (5–3) may have been similar to why Jackson didn’t start for the last 13 games last season at North Carolina, citing defense and assist-to-turnover ratio.
Since the opener, Pitino has played Stanford transfer Oziyah Sellers and Idaho State transfer Dylan Darling at the point guard before naming Jackson the starter for Saturday’s noon game at Madison Square Garden (TNT/truTV).
Jackson arrived at St. John’s with a reputation as a scorer, but Pitino needed more.
“It’s taken Ian three or four months now to get to this point right now where defense matters,” Pitino said. “He was averaging five or six turnovers every practice, which is unheard of, and now he’s one or two max. So, he’s come a long way.”
Pitino also addressed the unique pressure of playing in your hometown.
“I think it’s very difficult for a New Yorker to play in New York,” he said of the pressure of coming home. “Ian Jackson has improved immensely since he’s been here. He’s starting in the Iona game because of the improvement he has made.”
Jackson enters Saturday’s game at Madison Square Garden averaging 11.4 points. He’s shooting 47.1% from the floor and 35.3% from 3-point range, with totals of eight assists and 14 turnovers.
For Jackson, the start is validation.
“It means a lot,” he said. “I feel like I put in a lot of work, from practice to games, just trying to be better every day and grind out every day. So, this is just like a tip to that.”
He credits recent practice time for his progress during a stretch when St. John’s has played one game since Nov. 26.
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“I definitely feel like I’m getting more comfortable as days go on,” Jackson said. “That starts in practice, preparing there and then the games. I just feel better.”
Pitino said Jackson is about 80% of the way toward becoming a complete player.
“His turnovers have come way down, his rebounds have gone way up, and his defense has gotten significantly better,” Pitino said. “When this season’s over, he will be a complete basketball player ready to move on to whatever passions he wants to get to.”
A week after Cade Tyson’s Minnesota team (5–5, 1–1 Big Ten) upset then-No. 22 (but now unranked) Indiana 73–44, the Gophers lost at No. 6 Purdue 85–47 on Wednesday.
Tyson scored 15 points, missing all four 3-point attempts, with four rebounds and four assists. It was only Tyson’s second game this season without a 3-pointer and was his second-lowest scoring output (14 in the 77–65 loss on Nov. 22 at San Francisco.)
Also on Wednesday, Ven-Allen Lubin’s N.C. State team (7–3) rolled to an 84–45 home win over Liberty. Lubin tied for the team-high with 13 points and pulled down six rebounds.
Paulina Paris started for SMU (5–6) for only the fourth time, collecting 11 points, three rebounds and two assists, in the Mustangs’ 57–49 home Wednesday win over Coppin State. Paris started the first three games, but had come off the bench since then.
In addition to Jackson’s game on Saturday:
— N.C. State becomes the third Triangle team to face Kansas, hosting the No. 19 Jayhawks at 5:30 p.m. (ESPN). Kansas lost 87–74 at UNC on Nov. 7 and 78–55 to Duke at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 18.
— No. 15 Vanderbilt (9–0), with Tyler Nickel and Jalen Washington, plays its first game in 10 days, hosting Central Arkansas at 6:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
— Cadeau and Michigan visit Maryland (6–4) at 8 p.m. (Fox)
At 1 p.m. Sunday, Cade Tyson and Minnesota (5–5) plays host to Texas Southern.
Elliot Cadeau, Michigan guard
6–1, 180 pounds | Junior | UNC 2023–25 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting point guard ahead of sophomore L.J. Cason
Season statistics — 23 games, 23 starts, 9.9 points, 43.6 FG%, 39.6 3P%, 69.0 FT%, 2.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 2.4 turnovers
Team record: 22–1, 11–1 Big Ten; Rank: No. 3
Thursday: 110–69 win vs. Penn State — Started; 23 minutes, 7 points, 3–9 FG, 1–6 3FG, 2 rebounds, 1 foul, 8 assists
Sunday: 82–61 win at Ohio State — Started; 20 minutes, 2 points, 1–4 FG, 0–2 3FG, 2 rebounds, 2 fouls, 6 assists
Next game — 8:30 Wednesday at Northwestern, Big Ten Network
Trayanna Crisp, Mississippi State guard
5–8 | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 23 games, 23 starts, 9.1 points, 39.4 FG%, 38.2 3P%, 87.5 FT%, 2.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists
Team record: 16–8, 3–7 SEC
Thursday: 88–45 loss at No. 3 South Carolina — Started; 19:58, 3 points, 1–7 FG, 0–4 3FG, 1–1 FT, 1 rebound, 1 foul, 1 turnovers, -28
Next game — 7:30 Thursday vs. Georgia
RyLee Grays, Tulsa forward
6–4 | Junior | UNC 2023–24 (1 season)
Roster situation — One of four forwards competing for time
Season statistics — 23 games, 2.1 points, 42.9 FG%, 3–8 3FG, 75.9 FT%, 2.5 rebounds, 8 blocks, 6 steals
Team record: 16–7, 8–3 American
Tuesday: 75–65 win at Wichita State — 16 minutes, 2 points, 1–3 FG, 4 rebounds, 1 foul, 3 turnovers
Saturday: 66–47 loss vs UTSA — 15 minutes, 3 points, 1–3 FG, 1–3 3FG, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover
Next game — 7 p.m. Wednesday at South Florida, ESPN+
Ian Jackson, St. John’s guard
6–5, 195 pounds | Sophomore | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter, sharing time in a point-guard-by-committee mix
Season statistics — 23 games, 16 starts, 10.9 points, 43.1 FG%, 36.0 3P%, 89.8 FT%, 2.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Team record: 18–5, 11–1 Big East; Rank: No. 25
Friday: 81–72 win vs. No. 3 UConn — Started; 14 minutes, 8 points, 2–6 FG, 0–2 3FG, 4–4 FT, 1 rebound, 2 fouls, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, 1 steal (was on bench for final 8:56)
Next game — 6:30 Monday vs. Xavier, FS1
Puff Johnson, Ohio State
6–8, 190 pounds | Graduate | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Reserve
Team record: 15–8, 7–6 Big Ten
Season statistics — 3 games, 2.3 points, 40.0 FG%, 1–2 3FG, 2–3 FT, 1.7 rebounds
Thursday: 82–62 win at Maryland and Sunday: 82–61 loss vs. No. 3 Michigan— Didn’t play, suffered injury in practice that’s not expected to be long-term
Next game — 6:30 Wednesday vs. USC
Teonni Key, Kentucky forward
6–4 | RS senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting forward
Season statistics — 16 games, 16 starts, 11.3 points, 55.7 FG%, 1–12 3FG, 66.1 FT%, 7.1 rebounds, 1.3 blocks
Team record: 18–6, 5–4 SEC; Rank: No. 16
Thursday: 84–83 loss vs. No. 5 Vanderbilt — Started; 37:28, career-high 27 points, 11–15 FG (11 FGs career-high), 5–8 FT, 12 rebounds, 4 fouls, 1 assist, 5 turnovers, 1 steal, 1 block, +1
Next game — 7:30 Monday at No. 4 Texas
Ven-Allen Lubin, N.C. State forward
6–9, 250 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starting center
Season statistics — 24 games, 24 starts, 13.3 points, 67.9 FG%, 30.0 3P%, 69.7 FT%, 7.0 rebounds
Team record: 18–6, 9–2 ACC
Tuesday: 84–83 win at SMU — Started; 27:44, 11 points, 4–7 FG, 0–1 3FG, 3–8 FT, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, +8
Saturday: 82–73 win vs. Virginia Tech — Started; 27:03, 11 points, 5–7 FG, 1–2 FT, 7 rebounds, 1 foul, 1 assist, 1 block, +12
Next game — 7 p.m. Monday at Louisville, ESPN
Plays UNC —7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, ESPN or ESPN2
Tyler Nickel, Vanderbilt wing
6–7, 220 pounds | Senior | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starting forward
Season statistics — 23 games, 23 starts, 14.6 points, 50.2 FG%, 45.0 3P%, 81.8 FT%, 3.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Team record: 19–4, 6–5 SEC: Rank: No. 18
Saturday: 92–91 loss vs. Oklahoma — Started, 35:51, 18 points, 6–14 FG, 5–11 3FG, 1–2 FT, 1 rebound, 1 foul, 1 turnover, 1 steal, 1 block, +/- of 0
Next game — 7 p.m. Tuesday at Auburn
Paulina Paris, SMU guard
5–9 | Senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting guard
Season statistics — 20 games, 12 starts, 9.6 points, 39.9 FG%, 25.0 3P%, 69.7 FT%, 2.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Team record: 8–16, 1–11 ACC
Thursday: 70–65 loss vs. Wake Forest — Started; 32:06, 10 points, 4–9 FG, 2–4 3FG, 2 rebounds, 1 foul, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, 2 steals, -1
Sunday: 95–36 loss at No. 17 Duke — Didn’t play (injured)
Next game — 7 p.m. Thursday at No. 25 North Carolina, ACC Network
Will Shaver, Samford center
6–10, 265 pounds | RS junior | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)
Roster situation — Reserve minutes
Season statistics — 23 games, 2.9 points, 50.0 FG%, 40.0 3P%, 61.9 FT%, 2.2 rebounds, 18 assists, 12 blocks, 4 steals
Team record: 13–12, 6–6 Southern Conference
Thursday: 78–64 win vs. The Citadel — 10 minutes, 4 points, 1–1 FG, 2–2 FT, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 turnover
Saturday: 69–49 win vs. Mercer — 14 minutes, 1 point, 0–2 FG, 1–2 FT, 2 rebounds, 3 fouls, 2 assists, 2 turnovers, 3 blocks
Next game — 7 p.m. Wednesday vs. Wofford, ESPN+
Cade Tyson, Minnesota wing
6–7, 180 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 23 games, 23 starts, team-leading 19.4 points, 49.1 FG%, 38.5 3P%, 81.6 FT%, 5.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists
Team record: 11–13, 4–9 Big Ten
Wednesday: 76–73 win vs. No. 7 Michigan State — 38 minutes, 17 points, 4–12 FG, 3–7 3FG, 6–7 FT, 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Sunday: 67–62 loss vs. Maryland —37 minutes, 12 points, 3–7 FG, 2–6 3FG, 4–4 FT, 3 rebounds, 4 fouls, 1 block, 1 steal
Next game — 9 p.m. Saturday at Washington, NBCSN, Peacock
Jalen Washington, Vanderbilt center
6–9, 240 pounds | Senior | UNC 2022–25 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Backup center
Season statistics — 23 games, 4 starts, 8.7 points, 53.8 FG%, 25.0 3P%, 72.3 FT%, 5.6 rebounds, 1.3 blocks
Team record: 19–4, 6–5 SEC: Rank: No. 18
Saturday: 92–91 loss vs. Oklahoma — Started, 4 points, 2–3 FG, 10 rebounds, 2 fouls, 1 assist, 3 turnovers, -6
Next game — 7 p.m. Tuesday at Auburn
Photo via @StJohnsBball
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