Rick Pitino receives testy with journalists after St. John’s loses to Arkansas
March 22, 2025
Rick Pitino were given a touch bit crabby with a number of the questions he acquired following his team’s season-finishing loss.
Pitino and St. John’s were given removed from the NCAA Tournament on Saturday with an disenchanted 75-sixty six loss to No. 10 seed Arkansas. The sport became a selected conflict for St. John’s junior shield RJ Luis Jr, who completed with simply 9 factors on a awful 3/17 from the field.
Things were given so awful for Luis that Pitino, the St. John’s head coach, benched him for the very last 4:fifty six of the sport. St. John’s became nonetheless inside putting distance on the time too, trailing 64-sixty two for the time being that Luis exited for good.
Rick Pitino with an irritated appearance on his face
After the sport, Pitino became requested via way of means of a reporter why Luis did now no longer near the contest. Pitino replied that Luis performed half-hour however declined to intricate similarly and chastised the reporter for his inquiry.
“You’re asking leading questions,” said Pitino. “Don’t ask leading questions. You already know why he didn’t play [at the end of the game].”
Another reporter then tried his luck on the same topic … but also got swatted down by Pitino.
“You know he was 3-for-17,” said Pitino of Luis to the reporter. “You know he was 0-for-3 [from deep], so you’re answering your own [question]. I’m not gonna knock one of my players.”
The 22-12 months-vintage Luis turned into the satisfactory participant for St. John’s all 12 months and a first-rate cause why they have been capable of earn a No. 2 seed withinside the NCAA Tournament. He averaged 18.five factors and 7.2 rebounds in keeping with recreation and turned into named a consensus All-American in addition to the Big East Player of the Year for his efforts.
But on Saturday towards Arkansas, Luis actually didn’t have it, and Pitino had to tug the plug on him down the stretch. While the Red Storm, who declined an NIT bid final season, took a massive leap forward this season with their 31-five average file and a few large culture-placing moments with the aid of using Pitino, they near out the 12 months nevertheless searching out their first Sweet Sixteen berth because the 1990s.
