All articles tagged with #rick pitino
St. John's and Rick Pitino have agreed to a restructuring that adds a year to his deal and includes a substantial pay raise for Pitino and his staff, positioning him as the Big East’s second-highest-paid coach. Pitino, who has propelled St. John’s to consecutive Big East titles and a Sweet 16 this season, indicated he plans to continue coaching, barring retirement.
In an era defined by NIL chaos and the transfer portal, college basketball legends Tom Izzo, Rick Barnes, and Rick Pitino say the game is broken but their love for it keeps them coaching—and still winning—showing that pride, tradition, and tough leadership remain on the sidelines.
St. John's has already turned the 2026 season into a historic success, reaching the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999 and winning Big East regular-season and postseason titles, making Friday's game feel like icing on the cake regardless of the outcome.
Dylan Darling, who was scoreless for 39:56, insisted on a play for himself in the huddle and then delivered a right-handed layup on a straight-line drive with 3.9 seconds left to beat Kansas 67-65, sending St. John's to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999. Pitino called the moment one of the funniest he’s ever experienced and credited Darling's confidence, as the Red Storm prepare to face Duke in the next round.
St. John’s snapped a 27-year Sweet 16 drought when Darling drew up a buzzer-beater on a 3.9-second Power play, capping Rick Pitino’s rebuild as Bryce Hopkins erupted for six timely 3s in a tense win over Kansas.
St. John’s rising star Zuby Ejiofor, developed under coach Rick Pitino, faces his former team Kansas in a Sweet 16 clash, with his father urging him to show Kansas why they made a mistake letting him go.
Rick Pitino guided St. John’s to a second straight Big East Tournament title at Madison Square Garden, honoring a vow to his wife Joanne and signaling the program’s dramatic revival by outlasting rival Huskies.
CBS analyst Jon Rothstein believes St. John’s, led by Rick Pitino, can go deep in the NCAA Tournament thanks to a strong frontcourt, depth, and a tougher nonconference schedule; he argues anything short of a Sweet 16 would be a disappointment given the program’s progress, while also addressing Pitino’s impact, potential sleepers, and broader March Madness topics like tournament expansion and NIL.
St. John’s edged Seton Hall 78-68 at Madison Square Garden to advance to the Big East championship, with late free throws from Bryce Hopkins helping seal the win and Pitino eyeing back-to-back titles.
St. John’s answered a tough loss by routing Villanova 89-57 at the Garden, tying for the Big East lead as Zuby Ejiofor posted the first triple-double of his career (16 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists) and Ian Jackson added 19 points off the bench in a 52.5% shooting night that produced 26 assists while Villanova endured a season-low in points.
Connecticut overwhelmed St. John’s 72-40 in Hartford, snapping the Red Storm’s 13-game winning streak as St. John’s went 17:28 without a made field goal and shot 20% from the floor (5-for-20 from three). Tarris Reed Jr. posted 20 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks for UConn, while Joson Sanon led St. John’s with 10 points. Pitino took responsibility for the struggles as his team was dominated inside and on the perimeter. The loss leaves UConn and St. John’s tied atop the Big East standings, with St. John’s needing to regroup for an upcoming date with Villanova.
St. John’s rallied from a 16-point second-half deficit to beat Xavier 88-83 at the Cintas Center, securing Hall of Famer Rick Pitino’s 900th career win in his first-ever matchup against his son Richard Pitino. Dylan Darling drilled the decisive 3 with 53.2 seconds remaining after St. John’s rode a late push sparked by Bryce Hopkins and Dillon Mitchell; Xavier’s Tre Carroll led all scorers with 31 points in a dramatic finish.
Kentucky faces St. John’s in the CBS Sports Classic, featuring a matchup between former coach Rick Pitino and his former player and current UK coach Mark Pope, with both teams aiming for Final Four potential. The game also highlights potential return of Jayden Quaintence and Kentucky's recent strong performance against Indiana.
St. John's suffered a loss to Alabama at Madison Square Garden, highlighting the Crimson Tide's superior rebounding and overall play, which aligns with the idea that the game was a fair outcome based on performance.
St. John's basketball team, led by coach Rick Pitino, opened their season with a dominant 108-74 victory over Quinnipiac, showcasing their athleticism and depth, and signaling their potential as a national championship contender, despite some early-game mistakes.