St. John’s Basketball Coach Rick Pitino Disappointed After NCAA Snub
In a surprising turn of events, St. John’s basketball team was left out of the NCAA Tournament selection by the committee, much to the disappointment of head coach Rick Pitino. Pitino expressed his frustration with the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings, calling them fraudulent and questioning their accuracy.
Despite finishing the season strong, St. John’s was not able to secure a spot in March Madness, leaving Pitino and his players feeling disheartened. Pitino commended the committee for their hard work but made it clear that he disagreed with their decision regarding his team.
In a bold move, St. John’s declined the offer to play in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT), choosing instead to focus on building for the next season and coming back stronger. The Big East conference will still be represented by three teams in the NCAA Tournament, but St. John’s will not be among them.
As a Hall of Fame coach who previously led Iona to an NCAA tournament appearance, Pitino emphasized the importance of moving forward positively and not dwelling on bitterness. He urged his players to use this disappointment as motivation to work harder and improve for the future.
While the snub was certainly a blow to St. John’s and their fans, Pitino remains optimistic about the team’s prospects moving forward. With his leadership and experience, St. John’s will no doubt be a force to be reckoned with in the seasons to come.
(Image credit: Patrick McDermott / Getty Images)
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