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St. John’s Red Storm men’s basketball coach Rick Pitino was irate following the team’s 68-62 loss to the Seton Hall Pirates on Sunday, dropping the team to 14-12.
Pitino is in his first season with St. John’s after leading the Iona Gaels to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. There was a lot of hype that came with Pitino as he returned to his home city. Now, however, the Red Storm are on the verge of missing out on March Madness.
He eviscerated his team after the game.
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St. John’s Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino talks to his team during a timeout in the second half against the Seton Hall Pirates at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, Feb. 18, 2024. (Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports)
“If I said I was disappointed, that would be the understatement of the year,” he said, via ESPN. “Our lateral quickness and our toughness is just something I’ve never witnessed in all my years of coaching.
“We are so nonathletic that we can’t guard anybody without fouling. … And really it’s not about losing. Even winning, when I watch the film, I see unathletic plays, I see people that don’t handle the ball, that are just interested in taking quick shots. It’s been a disappointing year.”
Pitino replaced Mike Anderson at St. John’s and immediately dove into the transfer portal to help build his roster. Ten of his players were transfers with just two players sticking around from Anderson’s regime.
Rick Pitino of the St. John’s Red Storm looks on during the first half against the Marquette Golden Eagles at Fiserv Forum on Feb. 10, 2024 in Milwaukee. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
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He said he did not think he was going to win anyway and said he had “no choice” but to go about building the roster that way.
“We just could take who we could get, who was available, we had no choice,” he said. “I don’t think we were going to win the first year anyway, because when you rush like that, you don’t see the players. Not a whole lot we can do.”
The Red Storm sit toward the bottom of the Big East at 6-9 against conference opponents. The team has lost eight of its last 10 games.
Rick Pitino of the St. Johns Red Storm address the media after a college basketball game against the Xavier Musketeers at the Cintas Center on Jan. 31, 2024 in Cincinnati. (Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
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“I’m really disappointed in my team,” he added.
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