Red Storm matchup under threat from winter weather

When St. John’s left Queens early Monday afternoon, it didn’t know how long its trip to Providence would last.

The Johnnies were under the impression at one point that the game would be pushed back until Wednesday due to a winter storm that was expected to dump at least a foot of snow on the area. A travel ban was seen as likely. But by early Monday evening, the forecast had shifted — only 6 inches or so were forecast — and the game was expected to take place as initially scheduled, at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Amica Mutual Pavilion.

On X, formerly Twitter, Providence’s official account wrote: “Friartown, as of now it’s game on for Tuesday at 7 p.m. vs St. John’s.”

Providence did cancel classes Tuesday, but that didn’t alter the game’s status. The uncertainty came at a crucial time for St. John’s. It has lost six of its last eight games and is now on the wrong side of the NCAA Tournament bubble, according to most bracketologists. The Johnnies held a 15-point lead late in the first half on Saturday at No. 4 Marquette, but were outscored by 20 after halftime, following a seasonlong pattern of shaky second-half performances against top competition.

A win over fellow bubble team Providence, which St. John’s (14-10, 6-7) defeated at the Garden on Jan. 10, would be a significant victory and a third Quad 1 win. The Red Storm are currently 2-7 in Quad 1 games and need to bolster their weak résumé.

Knocking off the Friars on the road will not be easy. Providence has won 48 of the last 53 contests in the building, and St. John’s last won there in 2017. The Johnnies have also dropped four consecutive road games, and their last three have come by double figures at Marquette, Seton Hall and Xavier.