By The Associated Press

No. 5 St. John’s (31-5, 18-2 Big East)

Expectations are soaring for the Red Storm entering their third season under 73-year-old Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino. With the country’s top-rated transfer class surrounding Big East preseason player of the year Zuby Ejiofor, the Johnnies have the highest preseason ranking in school history. Picked to repeat as conference champion, St. John’s aims for its third Final Four trip and first since 1985. With 11 newcomers, Pitino’s toughest challenge will be rebuilding the tenacious defense that propelled last season’s squad to a No. 2 seed and the program’s first NCAA Tournament victory in 25 years.

Players to watch

Ejiofor (senior F, 6-9, 14.7 ppg). Team captain is a relentless force inside who averaged 8.1 rebounds p

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