Andrew Theodorakis/New York Daily News
Rysheed Jordan returns to the team after spending time in Philadelphia with his mother, who was hospitalized last week.
St. John’s will be back to full strength for its final tune-up before the Big East portion of its schedule gets underway.
Point guard Rysheed Jordan rejoined the team on Thursday for practice and is expected to return to the starting lineup when the Red Storm (8-3) face Columbia (7-5) at Barclays Center in the Brooklyn Hoops Winter Festival Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
The game is the first in a tripleheader. In the second game Kansas State (8-3) meets Tulane (7-6). The finale pits two teams that are currently considered among college basketball’s most disappointing, Boston College (4-8) and Virginia Commonwealth (10-3).
Jordan’s mother, Amina Robinson, was hospitalized last week and the 6-4 freshman went to Philadelphia to be with her. He missed last Saturday’s win over Youngstown State. Jordan had begun to come on after a sluggish start to the season that included a one-game suspension for violating team policy. During his previous three games he averaged 10.7 points and had begun to show the promise expected when coach Steve Lavin won the recruiting battle for him with Temple and UCLA.
“Having ’Sheed back is big,” Lavin said in a telephone interview. “I am impressed with how he’s held up with his mom’s health issues. He’s gone through a tough stretch.”
Lavin said that the Big East portion of the season has not been the focus, only playing at a high level against a Columbia team that gave No. 5 Michigan State fits before falling in the No. 15 road game, 62-53.
The Lions are yet to show themselves to be a great offensive team, but they are promising. They make 41% of their three-point shots.
“Teams that shoot that well from three are a challenge,” Lavin said.
The Johnnies first four Big East games look very challenging. They open Tuesday on the road at Xavier and then play at Georgetown next Saturday. Their third game is at home against No. 8 Villanova and then it’s a road game at DePaul.
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