Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino has the St. John’s Red Storm riding high atop the Big East standings, conjuring memories of the program’s glory days under the late Lou Carnesecca. Fueled by stifling defense and relentless offensive rebounding, the Johnnies are off to their best start in nearly four decades.
Pitino’s Midas Touch
In just his second season at the helm, Pitino has worked his patented magic, rapidly elevating the Red Storm from Big East also-ran to legitimate NCAA Tournament contender. His track record of swiftly transforming programs speaks for itself:
- Boston University: 17-9 to 21-9
- Providence: 17-14 to 25-9
- Kentucky: 14-14 to 22-6
- Louisville: 19-13 to 25-7
- Iona: 12-6 to 25-8
“We’re bringing St. John’s back to where it needs to be. It’s a shame Lou is not alive. He’d be very proud of this team, the way they fight.”
– Rick Pitino, St. John’s Head Coach
Big East Breakthrough
St. John’s 17-3 record and 8-1 conference mark represents the program’s finest Big East start since 1999. That squad, coached by Mike Jarvis, reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
The current Red Storm iteration bears striking similarities to the physically imposing teams of the Carnesecca era. They compensate for middling outside shooting by absolutely smothering opponents defensively and crashing the offensive glass with abandon.
Cardiac Kids
In true Pitino fashion, this St. John’s squad has quickly earned a reputation for heart-stopping comebacks. The Red Storm have already notched several wins after trailing by double-digits, including erasing a 16-point second half deficit to topple Xavier in overtime.
“No lead is safe against them. They have a great defensive team.”
– Sean Miller, Xavier Head Coach
That never-say-die mentality, combined with Pitino’s signature full-court pressure, can fluster even the most poised opponents. As Miller observed, the Johnnies “can really wear on you with their style.”
Unfinished Business
Of course, plenty of obstacles remain in St. John’s path to ending a 23-year NCAA Tournament victory drought and claiming their first Big East regular season title since 1992. Challenging dates with conference heavyweights like Marquette and UConn loom.
But led by the upperclassman trio of RJ Luis Jr., Zuby Ejiofor and Kadary Richmond, the Red Storm finally seem equipped to navigate the Big East gantlet. In a city that demands excellence, Pitino recognizes the mission is clear.
“We’ve got it rolling right now, and winning does that. Look, this is New York. It’s all about winning.”
– Rick Pitino
With a coach who’s made a Hall of Fame career out of winning, the Red Storm faithful are starting to believe that this could be the year those championship banners in Carnesecca Arena finally get some long-awaited company.
