"I knew he's going to play well tonight, because he was brilliant in practice the last two days,"
""So I wasn't trying to send a message to Bryce," Pitino said. "I was trying to teach him about greatness. Greatness doesn't happen without practicing great and developing that greatness inside of you.""
St. John's entered the preseason ranked No. 5 and opened with a nationally televised exhibition at Carnesecca Arena against Towson. The team struggled in a lackluster first half, trailing by eight at the break, then scored 52 second-half points to win 73-63. Shooting and perimeter defense improved in the second half, including a 50 percent field-goal mark and holding Towson 2-for-12 from three. A 13-0 run featured six steals and athleticism. Transfer Bryce Hopkins led the team with 13 points, added six rebounds, four assists and three steals, showing recovery from prior knee injuries. Coach Rick Pitino withheld a start to emphasize practice and development toward greatness.
Read at Newsday
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