St John's basketball had a thrilling win against Marquette on Saturday, which revealed a turnaround unlike any other, in part due to head coach Rick Pitino. In his second season, he helped the Red Storm clinch the regular season Big East title.
Not to mention, Pitino also made CBB history, by becoming the only head coach to win a conference championship in five different conferences.
His winning ways seem to go with him everywhere he goes. St John's is no different. In his second season, the 27-4 record is indicative of how elite they are.
Also, a St John's basketball buzzer beater left fans buzzing. Despite the thrilling outcome, Pitino knows what his team is about and elaborated on that postgame.
“You don’t just show up in March and say, ‘OK, this is what we are going to do,’” Pitino said via Zach Braziller of The New York Post.
“You prepare for it now, you prepare for it at the Big East Tournament. They did a fabulous job, just a tough-a** team. Toughness like you can’t believe.”
In a season where UConn basketball was the expected favorite to win the conference, St John's brought their Red Storm and captured it with ease.
After a tumultuous first year with the program, this has been one of the most impressive turnarounds of the year. Not to mention, the majority of the players are the same as last season.
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They went 17-2 in conference play, including two wins against UConn. Pitino has put on a coaching masterclass this season, as he has for the majority of his career.
He might be the epitome of “age is just a number” for the 72-year-old head coach. Either way, that same toughness will be a deciding factor heading into the conference tournament.
Although they are the No. 1 seed, teams like UConn, Marquette, and Creighton could give them a run for their money. However, the core principles of St John's basketball haven't been absent. They've been front and center for many to see.
That toughness is something Pitino prides his team on. Even with some of the offensive deficiencies, the defense and overall grit make up for it.
After claiming the Big East title, St John's basketball has poised themselves as a true national championship contender. There's plenty of basketball and if anyone knows what it will take, it's Pitino.
They'll prepare for the conference tournament, where the team will look to maintain its dominance, as they have all season.
