There is no denying that home advantage is a real phenomenon in sports. When it comes to Division I men’s basketball, that can make all the difference, after you factor in player fatigue, travel time, and, most importantly, home crowd advantage. In an attempt to give the underdog a chance, the NCAA started placing games at neutral venues. However, in a somewhat unique case, also considering last season’s record, Rick Pitino’s St. John’s side could have a slight advantage later on…

College Basketball Insider, Jon Rothstein, believes, “If St. John’s can be the #1 seed in the East region, which means it would have to have a comparable season, like it did last year. Maybe a little better. St. John’s would play first and second-round games in Philadelphia. And it would then play Sweet 16 and an Elite Eight game, if it were to advance, in Washington D.C.”

Here comes the advantage…

“That means, there would be a decisive geographic advantage for St. John’s in the NCAA tournament, because St. John’s and its fan base would not have to get on a plane to go support the program in the NCAA tournament,“ Rothstein concluded.

This viewpoint matters because Rick Pitino and Co. were outright winners in the Big East last season with an 18-2 record (19-0 in their home crowd’s presence). Although they ultimately lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to Arkansas, they achieved a 31-5 overall record, their highest since 1986. And if you’ve watched Pitino, you know that even ‘great’ is not good enough for him.

They’re under pressure to repeat the same top-level of basketball this season with tricky roster-related circumstances. And the expectations are undoubtedly high, as reflected in AP’s preseason ranking boards.

Can Rick Pitino lead St. John’s to another successful season?

The AP preseason Top 25 polls have St. John’s at No. 5. It is their highest-ever preseason rank in program history. Big East Player of the Year RJ Luis had a season of eligibility left, but he decided to leap to the pros. Rick Pitino has also lost Simeon Wilcher, Kadary Richmond, Deion Smith, and Aaron Scott.

Only one of the seven players who averaged more than 10 minutes per game has returned. However, their retention of Zuby Ejiofor is the biggest plus, who will continue to patrol the paint. He had a monumental 8.1 rebound average last season!

St. John’s also made some great additions. Bryce Hopkins, a former First Team All-Big East selection, is certainly going to be crucial if he remains healthy. They also recruited Ian Jackson and Dillon Mitchell, a former McDonald’s All-American pair, who are also set to take on a significant role. 6’11” center Handje Tambe joins the ranks as well, giving them a boost in both offense and defense.

They’re all going to be sharing the locker room with the First Team All-Big East selection and the Big East Most Improved Player, Zuby Ejiofor, who now holds the responsibility to lead the team on and off the court. And of course, let’s not forget St. John’s has its biggest asset in Rick Pitino still calling the shots.

Predicted starting lineup: Ian Jackson, Joson Sanon, Bryce Hopkins, Dillon Mitchell, Zuby Ejiofor

St. John’s shocked the world when they secured the #2 seed in the NCAA tournament last season. Can they do it again? Why not, I’d say.