Rick Pitino Receives Massive Commitment After St. John's Loses To Duke

Originally posted on The Spun | By Chris Rosvoglou | Last updated Mar 28, 2026 7:30 PM ET

Unfortunately for Rick Pitino, his magical season at St. John's came to an end Friday night with a loss to Duke in the Sweet 16.

Despite jumping out to a 53-44 lead in the second half, St. John's couldn't slow down Cameron Boozer, Isaiah Evans and Caleb Foster when it really mattered. That trio combined for 58 points in the biggest game of the season so far.

“It was our defense that broke down,” Pitino said. “It wasn’t so much not being in the right place. We just got bullied to the basket. They do that to a lot of teams. That’s why they’re the No. 1-ranked team in the country. We couldn’t defend the bully drives.”

Although it's tough for St. John's fans to be happy right now, the program's future is incredibly bright.

Shortly after Friday's loss, St. John's booster Mike Repole told the New York Post that he's donating more than $5 million to the school's basketball team.

"I’m really excited not only for this year but also next year," Repole said, via the New York Post. "I’ve already committed my pledge to (athletics director) Ed Kull and the athletic department and Rick Pitino and the team for next year. We don’t want this to be a one- or two-year thing. We want to build a dynasty here for the next 5-10 years."

St. John's fans have nothing to worry about.

The Red Storm have improved every season under Pitino. They went from missing the NCAA Tournament in Year 1 to making the Round of 32 in Year 2. This season was truly special as Pitino reached the Sweet 16 and captured a Big East title in the process.

While replacing a proven star like Zuby Ejiofor won't be easy, St. John's will have the necessary resources to add more talent to the roster.

Besides, Pitino finds a way to get the most out of his players. It doesn't matter if he's dealing with a transfer or a highly-recruited freshman.

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

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