After a preseason loss to Michigan, Rick Pitino noted how St. John’s needed to improve defensively.Similar sentiments were shared last week by the Red Storm coach after his team allowed over 100 regular-season points to Alabama.Pitino hopes his 13th-ranked team will improve its defense on Saturday evening when William & Mary visits Queens, N.Y.St. John’s (1-1) allowed an average of 65.8 points last season, when it won 31 games for its best campaign since 1985-86. The only players returning from that team are Zuby Ejiofor, along with reserves Sadiku Ibine Ayo, Ruben Prey and Lefteris Liotopoulos.With a roster containing six new members, the Red Storm cruised to a 108-74 win over Quinnipiac in its season opener. But last Saturday in front of a large crowd at Madison Square Garden, St. John’s lost 103-96 to the then-No. 15 Crimson Tide.The Red Storm allowed Alabama to shoot 48.1% from the floor. St. John’s also conceded 54 points in the paint along with 21 fast-break points, as it often allowed the Crimson Tide to easily get inside the paint.”We played these early games so we can find out where we need to get better,” Pitino said. “And we know we need to get better in one-on-one defense.”The individual defense particularly was deficient in the final minutes, when the Red Storm were outscored 17-9.”We made a lot of fundamental mistakes down the stretch,” Pitino said. “We lost this game at the defensive end.”While Ejiofor collected 27 and 10 rebounds and Bryce Hopkins added 19 points, St. John’s received inconsistent showings from transfers Joson Sanon, Oziyah Sellers and Ian Jackson in the backcourt. The trio combined for 35 points but also shot 12 of 30 from the field and got outplayed by Alabama guards Labaron Philon Jr., Aden Holloway and Latrell Wrightsell.”I think we were a little bit stagnant,” Ejiofor said. “We didn’t create ball movement. Guys were just standing around watching one guy dribble the ball.”