Hope season for the Red Storm

Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY SportsA strong beginning has become an anxious end of the regular season, as the Red Storm struggle to get over the final hump to make it back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in four years.

St. John’s sits at 8-9 in Big East Play, good for 5th in a Big East conference that has been up for grabs all season.

The league has eight teams with between six to eight wins in league play, including St. John’s.

On the upside, the Red Storm have netted half of their eight conference wins against teams ranked in the top-3 of the conference. Those wins have kept the Red Storm in the NCAA Tournament conversation. But the Johnnies have gone 4-7 against teams ranked…