NEW YORK — The return of Rick Pitino and his St. John’s team to the national rankings was met with mixed performances, particularly at the beginning, but the conclusion of the game provided a more hopeful outlook.
Midway through the second half, Deivon Smith hit a crucial 3-pointer that ignited an impressive 18-0 run, allowing No. 22 St. John’s to secure a convincing 66-45 victory over Wagner on Wednesday night. This win marked their first triumph as a Top 25 team in nearly ten years, an achievement Hall of Fame coach Pitino acknowledged while noting the talent disparity. “I’m impressed, even though we’re much more talented than Wagner,” he remarked. “They turned up the heat and made shots, and they were very poised when it counted.”
With this victory, St. John’s improved to 3-0 and re-entered the AP Top 25 poll for the first time since January 2019. Moreover, it represented their first win as a ranked team since a victory over Tulane on December 28, 2014. This marked a significant moment for Pitino, as it was also his first coaching experience with a Top 25 team since 2017 during his tenure at Louisville.
Despite the significance of the occasion, Pitino suggested that his players were focused more on the game than on the rankings. “It’s nice for the fans. Certainly we’re proud of that,” he said. “We need to get the subway alumni back. We’ve got great fans, but we don’t have a lot of them. In New York, there’s a lot to do, so there’s only one way to get fans, and that’s to win.”
The upcoming schedule presents a steeper challenge, starting with a matchup against New Mexico (3-0) on Sunday. This game will be particularly special as it features a matchup between Pitino and his son, Richard, who leads a Lobos team that made it to the NCAA Tournament last season and recently achieved a notable victory over then-No. 22 UCLA.
Rick Pitino acknowledged the formidable nature of the upcoming game, stating, “New Mexico is probably the No. 1 offensive-pace team in the country, and I know it better than anybody. So, we’ve got to get ready for this pace. They’ve got a great guard, they’ve got great support players, they’ve got a terrific inside player. This is a tough, tough test.” Historically, Rick has enjoyed a 2-1 advantage in coaching matches against Richard, including wins from his time at Louisville, while Richard secured a victory against Rick’s Iona squad two years ago.
Pitino expressed a level of respect for the Lobos, admitting, “They’re capable of beating us, I know that. I never have thought of disowning a son, but it may come to that.” Following their game against New Mexico, St. John’s will face off against No. 12 Baylor in the Bahamas and potentially No. 11 Tennessee or Virginia the next day.
“I don’t know how good we are. I don’t know. It’s a question mark right now,” Pitino said. “So, we’re going to find out.” Despite the uncertainties, he remains optimistic about his squad, while acknowledging they need to excel at free-throw shooting and effective execution during close games.
In the win against Wagner (1-2), St. John’s struggled with foul shooting, finishing at 60% from the line (18 for 30). However, they displayed solid defensive skills, limiting Wagner to a mere 29% shooting from the field and just 21% from beyond the arc. “We contested almost every shot. I think we’re ready defensively,” he stated. “I think offensively we’ve just got to get a feel for each other a little bit more.”
St. John’s was only leading by a slight margin of 39-37 when a pivotal blocked shot by Kadary Richmond led to Smith’s transition 3-pointer. “That was a big play,” Pitino noted. “I think the shooting at the end when the game was in question was magnificent. The defense was great the whole night, basically.”
Brady Dunlap capped off the decisive run with a 3-pointer and a three-point play with under six minutes left. Commenting on the team’s resilience under pressure, Pitino described their performance as “unique.”
Richmond, a prominent transfer from Seton Hall, had a modest performance with two points and seven assists while RJ Luis Jr. led the scoring with 13 points from the bench. “I know Kadary is ready to play. I know RJ is ready to play. I wanted to see some of the other guys, see some of the lineups,” Pitino explained.
“This team showed no panic,” he added, highlighting their capability to maintain composure during critical moments. “But we’re going to have to play great to beat New Mexico. We’re going to have to play great to beat Baylor. We know that.”
