St. John’s basketball: Rick Pitino brings Johnnies to New York Mets game

The St. John’s basketball team had a night out at the New York Mets game. 

It was a Tuesday evening out in Queens for the St. John’s basketball program as head coach Rick Pitino brought his squad to the New York Mets game.

Pitino threw out the ceremonial first pitch of the Subway Series between the Mets and New York Yankees at Citi Field earlier this season but now his first team with the Red Storm got the treatment of watching the ball game from a suit in the stadium.

The Hall of Famer has added 12 new players to the Johnnies this offseason; Sadiku Ayo, Glenn Taylor Jr., Simeon Wilcher, Nahiem Alleyne, Cruz Davis, Jordan Dingle, Brady Dunlap, RJ Luis, Sean Conway, Zuby Ejiofor, Daniss Jenkins, and Quinn Slazinski.

Jenkins and Slazinski were the only players that were not with the team at the game. Both are still working to graduate from Iona and be immediately eligible for the upcoming season.

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“Had to get the Mets on the winning track,” Pitino said in a Twitter post.

“Brought the Johnnies out in full force — the storm hit to start the game.”

The Mets would score five runs in the first inning and hang on to defeat the Chicago White Sox in a thriller, 11-10.

St. John’s basketball coach throws playful jab at former school, rival

Rick Pitino also poked fun at his former program, and rival during his time at Louisville, the Kentucky Wildcats who were able to practice and relax at Drake’s house, a multi-platinum recording artist, during their foreign tour in Canada.

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“Kentucky has the great Drake but the Johnnies are going Uptown with Mr. and Mrs. Met,” Pitino said using a reference from Billy Joel’s hit song, Uptown Girl.

The St. John’s team was also featured on the Jumbotron at Citi Field during their appearance.

The Red Storm are hoping for a turnaround under the legendary head coach as his coaching staff has loaded the roster with talent in order to win the program’s first NCAA Tournament game since 2000.