NEW YORK — St. John’s coach Steve Lavin has one year left on his original six-year deal and the school will “evaluate the season, as we do every season, at its conclusion,” a University spokesman told SNY.tv.
St. John’s did not make President Conrado “Bobby” Gempesaw available for comment.
St. John’s season will likely extend into the NCAA Tournament next week despite the Red Storm’s 74-57 loss to defending tournament champion Providence Thursday afternoon in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals. The No. 4 Friars (22-10) advanced to play No. 1 Villanova (30-2) in Friday’s semifinals.
ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi had St. John’s projected as a No. 7 seed entering the day and playing No. 10 Colorado State. Lunardi told SNY.tv that the Johnnies were “comfortably” in the NCAA Tournament even if they lost their first game in the Big East.
It would be the second NCAA Tournament appearance for Lavin in five years.
Lavin estimated that he’s had “four or five teams” that lost “in the conference tournament or in their last regular-season game and then went on a run in the NCAA.”
Told that his seniors had never won a Big East Tournament game, Lavin joked about his own failed resume in conference tournaments.
“I don’t think I’ve ever won a conference tournament game in the Pac-10 or the Big East, I don’t know if it has anything to do with our players,” Lavin said.
“I don’t think it’s [my team]. I’m just a poor Big East, I’m a poor conference tournament coach. We didn’t have one at UCLA either. … Probably the trend in the racing form is I don’t think I’ve ever won a conference tournament game as a coach in the Pac-10 or the Big East. I don’t think it has anything to do with our players.”
His 2003 UCLA team beat Arizona and his 2011 St. John’s team beat Rutgers.
He added that he hoped the week off before a potential NCAA start would give his banged up team a needed rest. Chris Obekpa, D’Angelo Harrison and Jamal Branch have all battled injuries of late.
“We need to take this time and take advantage of it heading into the postseason,” Lavin said.
Sophomore point guard Rysheed Jordan was the latest player to suffer an injury when he injured his right wrist in the first half. But he got the wrist taped and came back to finish with a team-best 18 points.
“Hopefully that’s a sign that it’s not so debilitating that’s it going to knock him out from playing going forward,” Lavin said of Jordan.
A possible extension for Lavin was reported a year ago, but the deal never got done.
“Steve is coming to the end of the fourth year in his initial six-year contract and it is an appropriate time to discuss an extension,” St. John’s AD Chris Monasch said then. “We have certainly had preliminary talks and look forward to revisiting the matter at the conclusion of the season.”
Lavin signed a six-year deal initially worth $1.85 million annually when he came aboard in 2010 to replace Norm Roberts, sources told SNY.tv. He currently makes over $2 million in that first deal, and he could stand to make more if he’s given an extension.
“Right now our focus is on the season, and if we are having talks, it’s not something should be shared at a weekly press conference,” Lavin said last month. “I love St. John’s, I love New York. The administration has been great. I really like this particular team, too. … The way I approach everything is the same I always have for however many years it’s been at each stop. Which is focus at the task at hand and knowing what we do today determines the type of future we have as a basketball team.
“[The administration] has always been supportive. They’ve given us the resources to be successful. My energy has always been focused on the next recruiting class, the next game, during the offseason, the upcoming season. … Like most coaches, you focus on things you have control over and the rest takes care of itself.”
