VILLANOVA, Pa. — Rick Pitino isn’t anticipating Deivon Smith again quickly.
The St. John’s coach stated Smith, now coping with a neck harm, tried to play Wednesday night time in opposition to Villanova, however couldn’t go.
The plan now’s to relaxation him, hoping the senior level guard will get wholesome.
Smith has additionally been coping with a bruised proper shoulder he suffered on Jan. 11. Smith has missed 4 video games because the preliminary harm.
“I think he’s done for the regular season, in my opinion. We need to get him healthy,” Pitino stated after the ninth-ranked Johnnies fell to Villanova, 73-71, at Finneran Pavilion. “The longer he stays out, the better it is for us. He’s not the same player he was a month ago and we got to get him healthy. He’s probably going to be out for a while. Definitely going to miss the Creighton game [on Sunday] and I’ll say the DePaul game.”
Smith, averaging 9.5 factors, 5.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists this yr, is one in all St. John’s greatest 3-point shooters and the important thing to its transition sport.
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Being with out him could be a serious blow. However the Johnnies must get him proper. He had struggled since returning, making solely 5 of 28 from the sector with minimal impression.
“If you bring him back too soon, you’re going to lose him for the [postseason],” Pitino stated.
St. John’s introduced that the March 1 residence sport in opposition to Seton Corridor is being moved to the Backyard attributable to elevated demand.
Initially scheduled for Carnesecca Area, it can stay a 2:15 tipoff.
Season-ticket holders and pupil season-ticket holders shall be supplied with their common ticket location for the sport.
Followers who purchased tickets for the competition at Carnesecca Area shall be positioned in a comparable part on the Backyard.
