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College basketball week 15: 5 important things to know

By Chris Stone

EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 10: Miles Bridges #22 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates his made basket late in the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Breslin Center on February 10, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 10: Miles Bridges #22 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates his made basket late in the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Breslin Center on February 10, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 03: Shamorie Ponds #2 of the St. John’s Red Storm reacts during their game against the Duke Blue Devils at Madison Square Garden on February 3, 2018 in New York City. St. John’s won 81-77. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 03: Shamorie Ponds #2 of the St. John’s Red Storm reacts during their game against the Duke Blue Devils at Madison Square Garden on February 3, 2018 in New York City. St. John’s won 81-77. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images) /

2. Shamorie Ponds and St. John’s remind us to enjoy the moment

One of the occasionally more frustrating aspects of sports is the overemphasis on end of season outcomes. The sentiment is all too common in NBA discussions these days whether it shows itself in the championship or bust team-building mentality of many analysts or via the nihilistic acceptance of another Warriors championship run.

Similarly, the focus on whether or not college basketball teams can — at various levels of competition — make the NCAA Tournament, make the Final Four or win a national title often obscures some of the special moments that occur during the season.

Take Shamorie Ponds and St. John’s.

After starting Big East play 0-11, the Red Storm have ripped off three wins in a row, including shocking upsets over Duke and Villanova. Ponds has been the catalyst. The 19-year old sophomore is playing some of the best offensive ball in the country. He hung 33 points on the Blue Devils, 26 on the Wildcats and, most recently, 44 on Marquette in a win over the weekend. Ponds is relentlessly effective breaking down defenses off the bounce and the return of his 3-point accuracy has opened up his offensive attack. The team’s three game run has been as good as anyone’s this season.

Realistically, the long-term outlook for St. John’s remains gloomy unless it can somehow take down the Big East conference tournament. Even if the Red Storm win out during the regular season, they’ll be 7-11 in the league with a  non-conference win over Nebraska. That’s not a sterling NCAA Tournament resume.

But that doesn’t mean everything. Ponds and the Red Storm should serve as a reminder that magical moments in college basketball happen outside of March, too. Only focus on the sport’s climactic month and you might miss out on them. Instead, take some time to enjoy the moment.