St. John’s basketball head coach Rick Pitino was full of jokes in the postgame of his team’s win over Butler. The No. 6 Red Storm advanced to the semifinals of the Big East Tournament with their 78-57 victory. To this point, the program is having its best season since the legendary Lou Carnesecca was roaming the sidelines. And it’s taken a lot of gritty and thrilling wins for St. John’s to get to this point.
The team’s strength and perseverance have been tested on multiple occasions. So far, this group has passed with flying colors and built a camaraderie that will last a lifetime. It’s clear this team is close, and Rick Pitino made a few lighthearted jokes about his players in the postgame, giving a glimpse into the good vibes within the locker room.
“All of the sudden he wants to play for the Celtics with his three point shooting.”
Rick Pitino has jokes, but also shows love to one of the best guards in the country. pic.twitter.com/NbCX7s6zW9
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) March 13, 2025
“Sadiku said he’s getting a lot of IV fluids before the game, which helps for Ramadan. I asked the trainers, ‘can we get something in the IV to help his defense?’”
– Rick Pitino on Sadiku Ibine Ayo pic.twitter.com/UWxOLmGqtL
— SNY (@SNYtv) March 13, 2025
The Red Storm continued their winning ways on Thursday
St. John’s basketball is now 28-4 overall and looking to clinch a top-two seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Red Storm finished the regular season as Big East champions with an 18-2 record and are looking to win their first conference tournament since 2000. Rick Pitino’s team has won seven straight games and looks to be peaking at the right time of the year.
The Red Storm have a balanced approach predicated on a culture of relentless pressure and tenacity. The team is led by Big East Player of the Year RJ Luis Jr., who continued his great form, putting up 20 points against Butler. Star guard Kadary Richmond was also his usual, stellar self, with 15 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists. The Red Storm additionally won the rebounding battle, which has been a common theme throughout Big East play.
St. John’s basketball is currently projected as a No. 3 seed in ESPN’s current bracket. If that happens, it will be a disservice to both the Red Storm and the teams that end up in its bracket. With its body of work, this group deserves at least a No. 2 seed going into March Madness. All the advanced metrics have this team as a top-7 team in the country.
Regardless of their seed and where they end up, the Red Storm will be a dangerous group in The Big Dance. This team is built on experienced guards, which is usually the key to deep March runs. Nothing is out of the question for St. John’s basketball over these next few weeks, giving Red Storm fans a reality they would not have dreamed of a few years ago.
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