Theo Edema, the true freshman huge man coming off a sturdy efficiency in the exhibition finale against Texas, surprisingly didn’t play in Monday night time’s season-opening 78-63 win over Monmouth.
But head coach Rick Pitino said he just needed to get a look at some of his other forwards.
“I know what Theo can do. Like [Zsombor Maronka] had a great week of practice,” Pitino said. “Tounde [Yessoufou] didn’t start because he missed two days of practice and didn’t practice well yesterday. We’re trying to see who can play and who can’t play after these five games. I’m just experimenting right now.”
The 5 video games Pitino is referring to are the contests before the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas Thanksgiving week. St. John’s will be a important favourite in these video games forward of the journey out West.
Yessoufou had a minor calf harm that stored him out of follow. Maronka had two blocks, two rebounds and two assists in 14 minutes.
St. John’s Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino yells at his gamers during the first half of a sport on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at Carnesecca Arena in Queens, N.Y. Robert Sabo for NY Post
The 6-foot-11 Edema was spectacular in the exhibition win over Texas, notching 4 factors and seven rebounds.
Before the sport, St. John’s hung three new banners: a Big East regular-season and postseason titles, and Sweet 16 one. A yr in the past, Pitino addressed the crowd. Monday, he left that to athletic director Ed Kull.
“I wanted Ed Kull to get a chance. He never gets a chance to speak,” Pitino said. “He’s a great athletic director. I wanted to give him his moment. I wanted to take it in and not speak.”
After lacking the complete preseason due to a wrist harm, Mercer switch guard Kyle Cuffe Jr. logged three minutes and was scoreless.
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