By ADAM ZAGORIA
NEW YORK — St. John’s junior guard Shamorie Ponds remains day-to-day with a lower back strain he initially injured Jan. 5 against Georgetown.
“I’m feeling better,” Ponds said when he showed up to support his alma mater Thomas Jefferson High School at the Empire Invitational at Mount Saint Michael Academy. “Coach [Chris] Mullin said it best, day-by-day, so that’s how I’m going to take it. I’m not going to rush it, I’m just going to take it day-by-day.”
The 6-foot-1 Ponds did not play Saturday when St. John’s lost to DePaul, 79-71, to fall to 14-3, 2-3 in the Big East.
St. John’s hosts Creighton Wednesday and visits Butler Saturday.
The 6-foot-1 Brooklyn native is averaging 20.6 points, 6.0 assists and 4.4 rebounds. He was just named to the Wooden Award Midseason list and he is among the favorites for Big East Player of the Year, along with Marquette junior guard Markus Howard and Seton Hall junior guard Myles Powell.
Ponds is a projected second-round NBA Draft pick by ESPN.com.
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