PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rick Pitino is benching his captain.
For the first time this season, Joel Soriano is not in the starting lineup as St. John’s looks to snap its month-long woes and play its way back into NCAA Tournament consideration.
Pitino is starting Zuby Ejiofor over Soriano, who has struggled mightily of late, in Tuesday night’s game at fellow bubble team Providence.
The 6-foot-11 Yonkers native has averaged just 11.3 points and 8.1 rebounds over his last eight games — six of them St. John’s losses.
In the team’s first five league contests, Soriano was producing 16.4 points and 10.4 rebounds.
The 6-foot-9 Ejiofor, a Kansas transfer, has come on of late and has outplayed Soriano, especially on the defensive end, where the Johnnies have struggled much of the year.
Over the last eight games, St. John’s has been outscored by 72 points with Soriano on the floor while it has outscored the opposition by 52 points when Ejiofor is on the court.
Soriano has played 105 more minutes in that span, it should be noted.
In Saturday’s loss to No. 4 Marquette, Ejiofor started the second half and finished with five points, seven rebounds and two blocks in 23 minutes.
In a season-low-equaling 17 minutes, by contrast, Soriano had two points and five rebounds. He also picked up a technical foul late in the first half that annoyed Pitino.
Pitino considered making the move a few games ago, but put off the decision, choosing to give Soriano the benefit of the doubt, according to a source.
With St. John’s reaching desperation mode, the Hall of Fame coach pulled the trigger.
