St. John's Wins Big East Title, Pitino Celebrates for New York City

Red Storm head coach says championship means more for the city than for himself.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 4:13am

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St. John's basketball head coach Rick Pitino led the Red Storm to the Big East title with a 72-52 victory over UConn on Saturday. Pitino expressed that he is more happy for the city of New York and the St. John's community than for himself, saying the championship is a 'dream come true' for the program and the city.

Why it matters

St. John's had not reached consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances since the late 1990s, so this Big East title represents a major turnaround for the program under Pitino's leadership. The win also reignites basketball enthusiasm in New York City, a traditional hotbed for the sport.

The details

Pitino took over a St. John's program that had struggled to reach the NCAA Tournament in recent years. After a stint at Iona helped rebuild his coaching reputation, Pitino led the Red Storm to the Big East title, avenging an earlier 72-40 loss to UConn. St. John's played strong defense and forced multiple turnovers to secure the championship win.

  • St. John's defeated UConn 72-52 on Saturday, March 14, 2026 to win the Big East title.
  • Pitino previously suffered a 72-40 loss to UConn on February 25, 2026.

The players

Rick Pitino

The head coach of the St. John's basketball team, who has led the program to a Big East championship and is focused on bringing excitement back to basketball in New York City.

UConn

The opponent that St. John's defeated 72-52 to win the Big East title, after previously suffering a 72-40 loss to the Huskies earlier in the season.

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What they’re saying

“I'm so happy for the team, so happy for our student body, the administration and the whole city. It means so much to the city.”

— Rick Pitino, Head Coach, St. John's Basketball (SNY)

“For me, it was a dream come true.”

— Rick Pitino, Head Coach, St. John's Basketball (SNY)

What’s next

St. John's awaits its NCAA Tournament fate on Selection Sunday after 6 p.m. ET, as the team aims to capture the school's third Final Four appearance and first-ever national title.

The takeaway

Pitino's leadership has revived basketball excitement in New York City, as St. John's captured the Big East title for the first time in years. The championship win represents a major turnaround for a program that had struggled to reach the NCAA Tournament, and sets the stage for a potential deep March Madness run.