All articles tagged with #pitino
CBS Sports Network’s March Madness 360 crew teased Jon Rothstein as he tried to tweet Rick Pitino’s amended contract news on live TV; Rothstein confirmed that Pitino’s deal makes him the second-highest paid coach in the Big East behind Dan Hurley, with on-air edits and backstage commentary adding a humorous, behind-the-scenes angle to the Scoop.
Billionaire St. John’s booster Mike Repole tells The Post that Rick Pitino is the perfect coach for the program, calling him a culture-shaper and comparing him to a maestro who energizes New York and pursues a Final Four mindset. He emphasizes Pitino’s relentless work ethic, the need for big ambitions and big moments at Madison Square Garden, and his substantial NIL backing for the team, while praising Pitino’s ability to push players to reach higher standards. Repole also reflects on his own drive, the NYC basketball lineage, and the importance of thinking big and dreaming bigger.
In San Diego, Hall-of-Fame coaches Rick Pitino and Bill Self finally clash in a high-stakes NCAA tournament game as St. John’s (29–6, No. 5 seed) faces Kansas (24–10, No. 4 seed) for a Sweet 16 berth, pairing Pitino’s decades-long, globe-trotting coaching journey with Self’s long-tenured Kansas run. St. John’s rides a seven-game win streak, while Kansas seeks consistency after a rough finish, making this a rare, marquee matchup that could reshape their remaining March Madness paths and set up a potential next round against Duke.
St. John’s defeated Providence 79-69 after a second-half brawl sparked by a hard foul on Bryce Hopkins; six players were ejected (Powell and Jaylin Sellers for Providence; Dillon Mitchell, Kelvin Odih, Ruben Prey, Sadiku Ibine Ayo for St. John’s) and officials took 19 minutes to clear the benches. Pitino joked about keeping comments brief and criticized the crowd’s objectivity while defending his team. The win improves St. John’s to 20-5 overall and 13-1 in the Big East, with upcoming games at Marquette and DePaul.