Rick Pitino has been ingrained in basketball records for over 5 decades. After gambling his university basketball on the University of Massachusetts from 1971-74, Pitino were given his education begin because the meantime head train for the University of Hawaii again in 1975.
He’s given that coached 8 groups among the NBA and university. Pitino has coached 3 unique groups (Providence, Kentucky, and Louisville) to seven overall Final Fours in addition to National Championships (Kentucky, 1996 and Louisville, 2013). In 2013, Pitino changed into inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Following a scandal the University of Louisville, however, Pitino changed into fired in 2017. He took a hiatus from education earlier than returning to the NCAA education ranks at Iona University in 2020. After massively enhancing Iona’s basketball program, Pitino popular a activity at St. Johns University in 2023.
After simply years on the helm at St. Johns, Pitino has the Red Storm “dancing” yet again withinside the NCAA Tournament. St. Johns returns to the sphere of sixty eight for the primary time in six years, following the program’s fourth Big East Tournament championship.
After beating Creighton 82-sixty six in Madison Square Garden on Saturday night, Pitino changed into requested throughout his on-court, postgame interview how he deliberate on celebrating his team’s victory. Pitino provided his clear, seven-phrase birthday party plan.
“I’m gonna drink a quart of Jameson’s,” Pitino said. Given that St. Patrick’s Day is proper across the corner, this appears to be the correct response.
With the Red Storm’s price price tag being punched, the 72-year-vintage Pitino have become the primary teach in NCAA records to take six faculties to the Big Dance.
The others have been Boston University, Providence, Kentucky, Louisville and Iona. Pitino, in his 2d season with the Red Storm, additionally have become the primary teach to win the Big East Tournament at faculties.
He’s gained 3 instances in his final 4 seasons withinside the league, after guiding Louisville to championships in 2009, 2012 and 2013. “Great win for the city. Great win for our university.
You pay attention all of it alongside that it is New York’s team, and it virtually is,” the Hall of Fame teach said. “As a New Yorker myself, I’m very, very proud that St. John’s has gotten to this level.”
