Rick Pitino reveals plans to celebrate St. John’s historic Big East Tournament victory

St. John’s defeated Creighton connected Saturday nighttime to gain the school’s archetypal Big East Tournament rubric successful 25 years acknowledgment to Hall of Fame manager Rick Pitino, and helium plans to observe successful a large way. 

After toppling the Blue Jays 82-66 down stellar performances from RJ Luis Jr. and Zuby Ejiofor, Pitino sat down with FOX Sports to sermon what the triumph meant to him. 

St. John's Red Storm caput manager Rick Pitino aft winning the Big East Championship against the Creighton Bluejays astatine Madison Square Garden connected March 15, 2025. (Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images)

"We conscionable wanted to play each crippled successful the Big East Tournament arsenic if it was the archetypal round, 2nd circular and 3rd circular [of the NCAA Tournament]," Pinito said. 

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"We did that. The unit was mounting connected us, but we came done successful a large way." 

Despite trailing astatine the extremity of the archetypal half, St. John’s rallied successful the 2nd half, making 14 consecutive shots from the field. Luis scored each but 2 of his 29 points aft halftime and Ejiofor added 20 points to gain the Big East rubric connected Saturday. 

"In the opening of the twelvemonth we had our goals, but we were conscionable hoping to marque the tourney – to get in," Pinito added. 

St. John's caput manager Rick Pitino gestures aft defeating the Creighton Bluejays to triumph the Big East Tournament astatine Madison Square Garden connected March 15, 2025. (Brad Penner-Imagn Images)

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But earlier St. John’s learns of its destiny on Selection Sunday, the legendary manager revealed to FOX Sports his plans to observe the historical win. 

"I’m gonna portion a quart of Jameson’s," helium said with a laugh. 

Pitino is the archetypal manager successful past to marque it to the NCAA Tournament with six antithetic teams. The triumph sealed St. John’s automatic bid to the Big Dance for the archetypal clip since 2019. 

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"Great triumph for the city. Great triumph for our university. You perceive it each on that it’s New York’s team, and it genuinely is," Pitino said. "As a New Yorker myself, I’m very, precise arrogant that St. John’s has gotten to this level."

St. John's Red Storm guardant Zuby Ejiofor is greeted by caput manager Rick Pitino arsenic the crippled ends against the Creighton Bluejays astatine Madison Square Garden connected March 15, 2025. (Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images)

St. John’s is expected to gain the No. 2 effect connected Sunday. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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