When Rick Pitino left Iona to become the head coach of St. John’s in 2023, the hope was the legendary sideline stalker who led Kentucky and Louisville to national championships could restore the glory of Red Storm program. Fast-forward to 2025, and the Red Storm are the Big East regular season champions for the first time since 1991-92.
Saturday’s 82-66 win over Creighton also gave them their first Big East Tournament championship since 2000, when dynamic trio of Bootsy Thornton, Lavor Postell and Erick Barkley led them to the crown.
In all it’s the program’s fourth tournament championship, which has been played yearly at Madison Square Garden, the Red Storm’s de facto home court, since 1983. The program as a whole has seen a revival under Pitino as they’ll be playing in their first NCAA Tournament since 2019, and just their fifth March Madness trip since 2000. Having the Red Storm, who were formerly the Redmen, back and winning is huge for the Big East, and that’s what makes Pitino so great. He revives programs quickly and swiftly.
Pitino Says Keep The Drinks Flowing
Following Saturday’s win which made the Red Storm (30-4) overall and (21-2) in the Big East including three wins at MSG this week, and elated and relieved Pitino didn’t hold back on his postgame intentions. The 2013 Basketball Hall of Fame inductee told reporters this:
“I’m gonna drink a quart of Jameson’s.”
Right now Pitino can do just about anything he wants, having returned the Johnnies to relevance again. Known as the Godfather of Basketball, Pitino who’s enjoyed immense success at every stop of his collegiate coaching career, raved about his team’s want to.
“They work really hard. They wanna win badly for their city, for their school and everybody that’s involved in St. John’s basketball,” Pitino said.
Pitino The Master Motivator
When he was hired in 2023, Pitino vowed to bring the St. John’s program back, and he’s done just that, and he didn’t let anyone forget in his postgame remarks.
“I said it at the press conference, we would be back,” he joked. “I didn’t lie to you, did I?”
Based on his track record, doubting Pitino isn’t smart, but for him to do it in two seasons is downright remarkable and hard to fathom when you consider where the program was when he took over. It’s a 12-win increase overall and 11-game increase in conference.
Fans Have Plenty To Say About Red Storm’s Return To Relevance
One fan gave Pitino his kudos:
“Pitino is the best! Congrats to St. John’s fans and all of NYC!”
Another fan wants him to run for public office:
“I friggin love Rick pitino! He should run for president!”
But as with anything, not everyone is happy with Pitino and they made mention of his checkered past.
“A man that impregnated his assistants wife on a bar room table, hired prostitutes for his recruits and cheated in recruiting but he is your hero and Cal is a scum bug, yep you must work for field of 68.”
Can’t satisfy everyone, but in NYC last night Pitino damn sure came close.
