All articles tagged with #rick pitino
St. John's landed Baylor transfer Tounde Yessoufou, a 6-foot-5 explosive wing who averaged 17.8 PPG and 5.9 RPG as a freshman, to form a backcourt with Ian Jackson and EuroLeague guard Quinn Ellis and boost Rick Pitino’s uptempo lineup toward a Top 10-15, Final Four-contending season.
St. John’s is adding Baylor guard Tounde Yessoufou, who withdrew from the 2026 NBA draft and will transfer to Rick Pitino’s program, while also pursuing Iowa State guard Milan Momcilovic to bolster the backcourt. Yessoufou, projected as a potential first-round pick by some, comes off a 17.8 PPG season but shot just 29.3% from three, while Momcilovic, a 48.7% 3-point shooter and All-Big 12 Second Team honoree, could unlock space for Yessoufou and teammates as the Red Storm look to build on last season’s Sweet 16 run.
Syracuse transfer Donnie Freeman says Rick Pitino's pitch convinced him to choose St. John’s over Kentucky, as the legendary coach addressed everything Freeman wanted in a program and coach.
St. John’s appears to be gaining momentum to land Donnie Freeman after Rick Pitino offered a bigger deal than Kentucky, forcing the Wildcats to mount a last-minute counter while other targets slip away and the recruitment tightens the race.
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.