Joe Lunardi is a unique man. Most know Lunardi from his Bracketology–predicting the teams that will be in the NCAA Tournament–for ESPN, but he wears many hats. During the day, he is the Assistant Vice President of Marketing Communications at St. Joseph’s University. On top of that, you hear his voice on the St. Joseph’s basketball radio broadcasts. On Saturday, he will be on the TV side of things as Creighton takes on the Hawks at Hagan Arena. At halftime, Lunardi will emcee the induction of former St. Joseph’s and current Creighton University President, Timothy Lannon into the St. Joseph’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
Needless to say, he is a busy man. But he isn’t too busy to help answer some questions for us about St. Joseph’s basketball, Lannon’s impact to St. Joseph’s and of course a little Bracketology. Lunardi watched the Bluejays practice Friday night before responding to these questions, and appears to be impressed. See what he had to say before Creighton’s 11 AM matchup with the Hawks of St. Joseph’s.
White & Blue Review: From what you have seen so far this season, how have things looked different with the Hawks? What is the biggest surprise?
Joe Lunardi: The Hawks were extremely young last season (starting three freshmen and a sophomore), but finished 4-2 and reached the A-10 semifinals as a No. 12 seed. That success has carried over and, with a 6-3 record so far this year, I think it’s fair to say the right players are in place for Saint Joseph’s to make multiple post-season appearances with this nucleus. The most pleasant surprise has probably been skinny center C.J. Aiken, who was abused by Kenny Lawson (30 points, 18 rebounds) in last year’s game but has emerged as the leading shot-blocker in the country.
WBR: Who are the major players that Creighton needs to watch out for?
JL: Junior point guard Carl Jones will be the fastest player on the floor (and that’s saying a lot the way Creighton’s guards run out in transition). Sophomore shooting guard Langston Galloway is SJU’s most versatile player and a high-percentage scorer. But Aiken is the guy who changes the game with his incredible timing and leaping ability. Led by Aiken, the Hawks block a shot approximately once every five defensive possessions. Of course, this could be a moot point with so many of Creighton’s field goal attempts coming from the three-point line and beyond.
WBR: What kind of matchup problems could the Bluejays face against the Hawks that St. Joe’s might be able to take advantage of?
JL: I think it’s the other way around in this game. Saint Joseph’s has a difficult time with big, skilled wings such as Doug McDermott as well as beefy post players like Echenique. Even though McDermott was scoreless in last year’s meeting, that was a fluke and I expect a big number from him on Saturday. The Jones-Galloway twosome is going to have to match the offensive production of McDermott and Echenique for the Hawks to have a chance.
WBR: People were probably pretty surprised to see St. Joseph’s lose to American at home this past week. How did they lose that game?
JL: I’ve only seen the Hawks play three bad halves all season, one in a loss to Seton Hall at the Charleston Classic and the other two last weekend at American U. It was a flat, unemotional performance, but not one I would expect from SJU on Saturday. This is the same team that took a 22-0 lead on Penn State in its home debut and which dominated a 21-win Drexel team favored to win the CAA. Creighton will probably be a little better than Saint Joseph’s on Saturday, but it won’t be from a lack of energy.
WBR: Is St. Joseph’s a place where Phil Martelli can easily coach the rest of his career? Is the fan base pretty satisfied with the job he is doing or do they want more?
JL: The last two seasons (22 losses back-to-back) have been rough, no question, in part because Martelli has raised the bar so high for Saint Joseph’s in his overwhelmingly successful tenure. With a talented nucleus clearly in place and recruiting back up to standard, Martelli has weathered whatever storm existed and will almost certainly finish his career on Hawk Hill and on his terms.
WBR: Have you had a chance to watch Creighton yet? What is your impression of what Doug McDermott has been able to do so far in a Bluejay uniform, especially this season?
JL: To me, both of these teams are at least a half-season ahead of schedule in their overall development. Creighton is already special because of McDermott. I watched the entire game at San Diego State, which was a true “team” victory, and several other segments here and there. In a close game, which this could be, I always favor the team with the best player on the floor. When the Hawks had Jameer Nelson, they almost never lost those kinds of games. The same is true for the Blue Jays thanks to McDermott.
WBR: For teams like Creighton and St. Joseph’s, this is a good game for both teams to schedule. Creighton and schools in the MVC have had their difficulties scheduling better known opponents. How hard is it for the Hawks to their scheduling? Do they run into the same roadblocks?
JL: Yes, scheduling is a pain-in-the-a$$ for high-quality programs outside the BCS realm. It is actually more difficult for a program like Saint Joseph’s, which does not have the arena capacity to “buy” additional home games. The Hawks make up for that with the Philadelphia Big 5, which creates annual rivalry games with the likes of Villanova, but it’s always a challenge to fill out the non-conference slate. For example, this matchup is part of SJU’s first five-game home stand in over 20 years. You’d be hard-pressed to find consistently successful programs that don’t load up on non-league home games. It’s an equally good series for both schools.
WBR: Father Timothy Lannon left St. Joseph’s to be come the President at Creighton this past year. What kind of impact did he have at St. Joseph’s and how has the University adapted to the new Administration? Was Father Lannon instrumental in keeping this series going for another couple of years after Saturday’s game?
JL: Father Lannon will be inducted into the SJU Hall of Fame at halftime on Saturday. I’ll be honored to emcee the ceremony and the ovation will answer your question better than I ever could. And I don’t think either coach needed much prodding to renew the series for four more years (but they would have gotten it if necessary!).
WBR: It is hard to not ask a Bracketology question, so here is one. What is the view of the MVC so far this season and does it look like they have the teams this year to get multiple bids for the first time since 2006-07?
JL: Creighton and Wichita State are both NCAA teams in my eyes. I would set the over/under for MVC bids at one-and-a-half (and bet the over!). And I don’t think it’s completely out of the question for a third team (Northern Iowa?) to be seriously considered if everything breaks well in the conference season and tournament.
WBR: What is your final prediction? Will Hagan Arena be too much for the Bluejays?
JL: I don’t like this particular match up at all for the Hawks. I’m expecting a very entertaining game, however, that ends in the neighborhood of 80-75 in the Blue Jays favor. More importantly, if SJU takes another step forward with an upset, it won’t be a “bad loss” for Creighton. It will instead mean that Saint Joseph’s is even closer to a post-season tournament of its own.
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Creighton fans in the state of Nebraska will get to hear Lunardi on the TV broadcast as KMTV is slated to carry the St. Joseph’s feed of the game. See more in our Media Menu.