Rick Pitino used his postgame news conference to call out the NCAA after St. John’s exited the Sweet 16 with a narrow 80-75 loss to Duke. The veteran coach said the Red Storm were left waiting for more than a half-hour while the winning team handled its court interview first.
Pitino argued the order should be reversed in moments like this, saying the losing team should speak first and the winner should get “as long as you want” afterward. His complaint came after a difficult finish for No. 5 seed St. John’s, which saw a 10-point second-half lead fade as Duke advanced to the Elite Eight.
Pitino’s complaint about the interview order
Pitino raised the issue immediately when he met reporters after the game. He said the NCAA should rethink how postgame interviews are handled so the losing team is not forced to sit through a long delay while the opponent celebrates on the court.
- Losing team speaks first
- Winning team interviews second
- Winning team gets extended time if needed
That suggestion was not about the result on the floor, but about the timing around it. Pitino said the delay added to the disappointment after a game that St. John’s felt it had a chance to win.
How the game turned
Duke erased the deficit and closed stronger in the second half to eliminate St. John’s from the tournament. Pitino said the bigger problem for his team was defensive breakdowns, not poor positioning, and he credited Duke’s ability to attack the basket.
“It was our defense that broke down,” Pitino said. “It wasn’t so much not being in the right place. We just got bullied to the basket.”
That physical pressure became the key storyline as Duke improved to the Elite Eight. The Blue Devils will next face UConn, while St. John’s left the tournament with a close defeat that also brought frustration over the postgame process.
Duke’s late push and key performances
Duke’s comeback was powered by several notable individual efforts, including Caleb Foster’s return from a broken foot. Foster scored 11 points in the second half, while Isaiah Evans added 25 points and Cameron Boozer finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
Those contributions helped Duke hold off St. John’s after the Red Storm had built momentum earlier in the game. The result also continued Duke’s strong tournament path, even as the team now prepares for a matchup with a familiar opponent in UConn.
What Pitino’s comments signal
Pitino’s postgame remarks reflected more than frustration with a single administrative detail. They also showed how emotions can spill over after a tournament loss, especially when a coach believes the losing team is being held in limbo at one of the hardest moments of the season.
His message was simple and direct: let the team that just lost deal with the aftermath first, then give the winning team the spotlight. For St. John’s, the issue became one more part of a painful night that ended with Duke’s comeback, an 80-75 final, and an early exit from the NCAA Tournament.
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