St. John’s men’s basketball vs. Monmouth game preview: Scouting, keys, and prediction

The long wait is over. The Red Storm are set to raise the curtain on their 2026-27 season, along with their second consecutive Big East championship banner, in Monday’s opener against Monmouth (6:30 p.m., ESPN+).

While the regular season has arrived, the eligibility battles on the court haven’t stopped. Fifth-year transfers Keyshawn Hall and Reed Bailey, as well as former G-Leaguer Babacar Sane, are still awaiting full NCAA clearance. All three are active for Monday night’s season opener thanks to temporary restraining orders.

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St. John’s has won their last 12 season openers dating back to the 2014-15 season. The Red Storm have defeated opponents by an average margin of 27.3 points in opening games during the Rick Pitino era. Last year, the Red Storm shredded Quinnipiac in a 108-74 blowout on opening night.

The Red Storm are undefeated in four previous meetings with Monmouth, and they face the Hawks for the first time in five years. The Johnnies took an 88-83 victory that was more uncomfortable than they hoped in their last Nick Rutherford Bowl on December 9, 2021.

What to watch for in the Storm

Major Key Alert: It’s very difficult to decipher the offensive hierarchy on this Red Storm team considering how many talented scorers populate the roster, but one player has established himself as an early number one option. Keyshawn Hall averaged a team-best 19.0 points per game over the Red Storm’s three scrimmage games, and scored 24 points in each of his starts against Rutgers and Texas. Rick Pitino called Hall “one of the best bucket-getters” he’s coached in his career, and if Hall gets fully cleared by the NCAA, he could be a serious Big East Player of the Year candidate.

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In a Flow: Nothing is preventing Ian Jackson from breaking out as a junior, and he’s shown a level of confidence in preseason play that didn’t exist last season. Jackson posted 18.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.6 steals per game in three scrimmages. After a 0-of-6 first-half…

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Publish date : 2026-11-01 02:50:00

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