The hardest part is finally over.
The Chris Mullin rebuilding project at St. John’s concluded its brutal regular first season with a 90-76 loss to Providence on Saturday at Madison Square Garden, which kept with the year-long narrative for the Red Storm.
As in most of their Big East schedule, St. John’s (8-23, 1-17) dug itself into an inescapable hole, as Providence took advantage of its edge in experience up front and depth in the back court.
It was a tale of two halves once again, between multiple St. John’s turnovers and hot-shooting by Providence, it proved more than enough to prevent a surge by the Red Storm in the second period from becoming a comeback.