The comparisons between the current St. John’s basketball team and some of Rick Pitino’s squads at Louisville are very clear behind its stout defense and occasional struggles from 3-point range, but Pitino used that same Cardinal magic with the Johnnies at the Big East Tournament.
During St. John’s run to the Big East Championship, culminating with an 82-66 victory over Creighton in the title game, the Johnnies became the first team since Louisville in 2013 to overcome a halftime deficit in the championship.
The Red Storm trailed by three, 28-25, before shooting 71.9-percent from the field in the second half to put 57 points on the board in the final 20 minutes.
Pitino’s team was also behind at halftime during the semifinals against Marquette before another second half surge resulted in a victory. It marked the first time since the Louisville Cardinals in 2009 – coached by Rick Pitino – that a team overcame a halftime deficit in the semifinal and title games.
“Great win for the city,” Pitino said after the game. “Great win for our university. You hear it all along that it’s ‘New York’s Team’, and it truly is. As a New Yorker myself, I’m very, very proud that St. John’s has gotten to this level.
The Hall of Famer became the first coach in conference history to coach two different programs to a Big East Tournament Championship after lifting the trophy with Louisville in 2009, 2012, and 2013.
He also became the first coach in NCAA history to win a conference tournament with five different schools (Boston University, Kentucky, Louisville, Iona, and St. John’s).
“Humility is a big part of my life right now. It wasn’t always that way,” Pitino explained. “I don’t believe in redemption. I believe in humility…I believe in living in what I call the precious present, a gift that we all get.”
St. John’s is now the sixth team that Rick Pitino has brought to the NCAA Tournament and will learn its seeding and placement in March Madness on Sunday evening (6:00 p.m. ET, CBS).