Rick Pitino, the St. John's basketball coach, has achieved his 14th Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament, boasting a remarkable 92.3% winning percentage among Division I coaches with at least six regional semifinal trips. As St. John's prepares to face Duke, memories of Christian Laettner's iconic game-winning shot against Kentucky in 1992 resurface for Pitino. Despite his reluctance to watch shows, he was drawn into a series that referenced Laettner, prompting his humorous frustration. Pitino aims to lead his team to victory against Duke, seeking redemption for past losses.
"Rick Pitino has brought a team to the Sweet 16 for the 14th time in his Hall of Fame career, and has the highest all-time winning percentage among Division I coaches who have at least six trips to the regional semifinals of March Madness, with a record of 12-1."
"Laettner's turnaround jumper, which came at the end of a perfect full-court pass from Grant Hill, is widely regarded as one of the all-time March Madness moments. The memory of that play still stings for Pitino, even when he's least expecting it."
"Pitino expressed his frustration about being encouraged to watch a show that referenced Laettner, saying, 'That's cruel. Why would my staff and friends tell me to watch (that)?'"
"Curiously, the Duke-Pitino storyline was made possible because of a game-winning buzzer beater from one of Pitino's own players, Dylan Darling, against the Jayhawks."
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