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Rick Pitino Had Perfect Response After Winning Big East Title

Originally posted on The Spun | By Tzvi Machlin | Last updated Mar 15, 2025 9:50 PM ET

For the first time in 25 years, St. John's have won the Big East Tournament. The team appears primed to return to a level of glory they haven't enjoyed since the late-great Lou Carnesecca and they have Rick Pitino to thank for getting them to this point.

Pitino's No. 1-seeded Red Storm knocked off the 2-seeded Creighton Bluejays in the Big East Championship today. Despite trailing by three heading into halftime, the Red Storm's offense exploded in the second half with 57 points, outscoring Creighton by 19 to win 82-66.

After the game, Pitino was in a celebratory mood and was asked how he intends to celebrate.

"I'm gonna drink a quart of Jameson's," he said.

The remark was likely a reference to St. Patrick's Day being this Monday. Pitino is of Irish descent.

How does Rick Pitino plan on celebrating the Big East Tournament win?

"I'm gonna drink a quart of Jameson's."pic.twitter.com/87RMwqR4WP
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 16, 2025

Pitino now heads to the NCAA Tournament for the 24th time in his career and with his sixth different team. It only took him two years to transform St. John's from a program that couldn't win more than 21 games in a year since the 90s to 30-win team that will in all likelihood wind up with a No. 2 or even a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Pitino went into a self-imposed exile of sorts from basketball following the controversial and punishment-filled end to his tenure in Louisville. After several years of coaching basketball overseas, he returned with New York-based Iona in 2020 and promptly led the MAAC team to three straight conference titles and two trips to the NCAA Tournament.

But he could only stay at a program as small as Iona for so long before needing to stretch his wings. Fortunately for him, a golden opportunity at a once-prestigious basketball school near his childhood home had opened up.

There could be a lot more celebrating in Pitino's immediate future if his team keeps up this momentum.

March Madness is here and Sunday Selection is just hours away.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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