In just his second year at the helm of the St. John’s Red Storm, basketball Hall of Famer Rick Pitino was named Big East Coach of the Year on Wednesday after leading his squad to its first outright regular season conference championship in 40 years and matched a program record 27 regular season victories. The Johnnies lost just four games all season by seven points combined. St. John’s also went an undefeated 18-0 at home for the first time since 1931-32. It earned them their highest national ranking (No. 6) since the 1990-91 season.
Pitino is the first St. John’s coach to be named the Big East’s Coach of the Year since Lou Carnesecca, who died on Saturday, Nov. 30, at age 99 and just five weeks shy of his 100th birthday.
“Anytime you get voted by your peers for an award, it’s extra special,” Pitino said before the tip-off of the Big East Tournament at MSG. “The Big East has had the greatest coaches in the history of college basketball. So it’s a special award today for me to be amongst some of those greats that won this award previously. It’s been an awesome regular season, capped off by such a nice award.”
Pitino returned five players from last year’s team, including this year’s Big East Player of the Year R.J. Luis Jr., fellow All-Big East first-teamer Zuby Ejiofor, and All-Big East second-teamer Kadary Richmond, who transferred into the program.
All three joined their teammates at a meet-and-greet with St. John’s fans on Monday night at the Fresh Meadows Applebee’s, three days before the start of the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden.
“We are fully focused and we’re really excited for the tournament,” Luis said. “I’m definitely excited because I feel like there’s going to be a different type of energy because we’re coming in with a chip on our shoulder. We’re on top of the league and we want to stay on top.”
He is the first Johnny to average more than 18 points and seven rebounds per game in a single season since Zendon Hamilton in 1995-96, and he is the third player in school history to win the conference’s Player of the Year honor, joining Chris Mullin (1983, 1984, 1985) and Walter Berry (1986). Ejiofor was the unanimous choice of his teammates as captain of the Red Storm this year.
“Going into this season, I was going to embrace this new role,” Ejiofor said. “I knew I was going to have to step it up in a lot of areas, especially on the court. I worked really hard throughout the entire summer and that’s exactly what I did and the awards came. The first team was a surprise to me as well.”
Richmond is one of two Red Storm players from the city, having transferred into the program from Seton Hall before this season. During the regular season finale, he notched the first triple-double for the Red Storm since Ron Artest, from the Queensbridge Houses, reached the feat in 1999.
“Being from Brooklyn means a lot,” Richmond said. “You know, just being here and seeing the revival of the city and surrounding St. John’s basketball is nice to see, and I’m just happy that everybody that’s here at this table has been a part of it.”
All three played a key role in the buzzer-beating game-winner on network television Saturday on the road against 20th-ranked Marquette, a win Pitino called his favorite victory of the regular season because his team refused to lose. As time ran down in overtime, tied 84-84, Ejiofor made the game-winning floater and led the celebration. On Monday, the captain reflected on the impact Pitino had on him.
“There’s not a better person to get wisdom from, you know, than the coach. He pushed me to bring out the best of my abilities, and he’s guided me, you know, off the court and on the court as well,” Ejiofor said. “He’s just a special, special man to play for. He just really pushed me and our teammates to an unbelievable level, and that’s what we’re doing.”
Final
— TorresOnSJU (@TorresOnSJU) March 8, 2025
St. John’s – 86
Marquette – 84
Man. What a win. St. John’s walks into Milwaukee and gets a HUGE win at the buzzer over No. 20 Marquette. THIS IS MARCH. #SJUBB pic.twitter.com/mf6LRNzS6b
Two nights before the Marquette game, the players joined Pitino as guests on NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” singing a parody of a sea shanty about their goal of cutting down the net at the Big East Tournament and later this month at the end of the NCAA Tournament.
Last night’s cold open to The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Rick Pitino and St. John’s: pic.twitter.com/SpzG16PTFr
— John Fanta (@John_Fanta) March 7, 2025
“Never been on a TV show before. That was pretty cool. They got me singing right in front of the camera, so that was all new to me,” Luis said. “Coach Pitino says we work hard but you know, you can have fun a little bit. It’s business when you’re on the court, but you want to celebrate your wins, and that’s what we did.”
Ed Doherty hosted the meet-and-greet at his Applebee’s in Fresh Meadows, one of several he owns in the metropolitan area. He graduated from St. John’s in 1968 and was a season ticket holder for years.
“This is a great team, and Rick Pitino has brought life to the St. John’s Red Storm; they’re all great kids,” Doherty said. “They’re all wonderful, wonderful people as well as great basketball players, so it’s a fun event, and everybody in the community is here.”
Tom Wilson and his wife Eric attend most home games at Carnesecca Arena and some at MSG.
“They’re an amazing group of guys, and we can’t wait to see where it goes,” Wilson said. “Being a member of the St. John’s family since 1988, and I’m just happy to see them have a great, great season. It’s been a fun time. I hope they keep it going.”
Andrew Lavelle has been a Red Storm fan since he was a kid and has never seen a team as special as this squad.
“Coach Pitino has done a terrific job bringing together a great, great team,” Lavelle said. “It’s been my favorite year ever with buzzer-beaters, beating UConn twice. I’m just hoping the Johnnies can make a deep run in March and hopefully win a national championship.
Additional reporting by Ramy Mahmoud.
