The Rick Pitino issue is in full impact.
The Corridor of Fame coach’s second season at St. John’s is off to a red-hot begin, together with his Purple Storm now 18-3, together with 9-1 in Huge East play.
With Tuesday’s 66-41 win at Georgetown, the Johnnies improved to 7-0 because the calendar flipped to 2025. They accomplished their first undefeated January since 1985, a yr through which the late Lou Carnesecca led St. John’s to the Closing 4.
“I really don’t talk about the ’80s,” Pitino, 72, stated Tuesday evening. “I always toast Lou after every game and say the same thing to everybody: ‘Lou would be proud of this team.’ But I don’t bring it up too much. I don’t bring it up that they’re the most wins in January. … We really just focus on getting better. This team is getting better and better.”
Certainly it’s.
St. John’s enters Saturday afternoon’s recreation towards Windfall at Madison Sq. Backyard as winners of seven consecutive video games — a streak that features two wins over Xavier (13-9) and one other towards Villanova (12-9).
The Johnnies’ No. 15 rating within the AP ballot matches their greatest since 2000.
They’re 13-0 in residence video games at Carnesecca Enviornment or the Backyard.
They usually’re doing it in thrilling trend.
St. John’s is averaging 82.9 factors per recreation, good for second within the convention behind solely defending NCAA champion UConn’s 83.7.
The Purple Storm rank second within the Huge East, additionally to UConn, in rebounding (37.5 per recreation) and 3-point share (37.8%).
However they’re forward of No. 25 UConn (15-6; 7-3) the place it counts: within the standings. St. John’s enters Saturday tied atop the Huge East with No. 9 Marquette, whom it’s set to play Tuesday evening in a heavyweight bout on the Backyard.
“I’m proud of these guys,” Pitino stated.
St. John’s employed Pitino, a two-time NCAA champion with Kentucky and Louisville, in March 2023, hoping he may flip round a program that’s solely made three NCAA Match appearances since 2002 and none since 2019.
His first season was a curler coaster. St. John’s began the yr 14-12 and 6-9 in convention play, and a Feb. 18 loss to Seton Corridor prompted Pitino to criticize his crew as “unathletic” and “slow laterally.”
The candid feedback prompted nationwide dialogue, however his crew rallied from there, successful six consecutive video games earlier than a loss to UConn within the Huge East Match semifinal.
St. John’s completed 20-13, and 11-9 within the Huge East, however was disregarded of the NCAA Match. Six of this system’s high seven scorers left within the offseason, both because of working out of eligibility or transferring.
With a full offseason to recruit and work the portal, Pitino landed prized transfers Kadary Richmond from Seton Corridor and Deivon Smith from Utah.
Each guards have been productive this season, but it surely’s been returning gamers who’re making the most important distinction.
Junior guard RJ Luis Jr. ranks fourth within the Huge East with 17.4 factors per recreation and sixth with 6.6 rebounds per recreation. Junior ahead Zuby Ejiofor, who got here off the bench final yr, has excelled as a starter, averaging 14.5 factors and eight.2 rebounds, the latter of which ranks third within the convention.
“I think it’s mostly me being healthy,” Luis, who handled nagging shin accidents final yr, stated after a Nov. 17 win over New Mexico. “Just the person that I am, I put a lot of work into my craft. Now I’m stepping up as one of the best defenders. … I’m gonna play-make. I’m gonna score. I’m really just playing both sides of the ball.”
St. John’s nonetheless has loads to show.
It has not performed Marquette or UConn. It misplaced its solely assembly with Creighton, 57-56, in Omaha, on Dec. 31.
However the Johnnies’ three losses — the others got here towards No. 13 Baylor and Georgia — are by a mixed 5 factors.
An extended-awaited return to the NCAA Match is wanting increasingly more possible.
“I think the best quality that we have is we’re humble,” Pitino stated. “We just keep playing hard. We don’t think we’re great. We aspire to be great, but we don’t believe we’re great. We understand that anybody can beat us.”
