"Don't care if he was 3-for-33": 3x SB champ Shannon Sharpe drops scorching take on Rick Pitino's lineup decision vs Arkansas

The St. John's Red Storm, led by legendary coach Rick Pitino, saw their NCAA Tournament run come to an end on Saturday.

The biggest talking point from the game was Pitino’s decision to bench RJ Luis Jr., the Big East Player of the Year, in the final minutes of the game. When asked about the decision in the post-game press conference, this is what the coach said:

"You know he was 3-for-17. You know he was 0-for-3…I'm not going to knock one of my players."

This response didn’t sit well with many analysts, including three-time Super Bowl champion Shannon Sharpe. On ESPN’s First Take, Sharpe voiced his frustration with Pitino’s decision,

"You're the head coach. The Big East player of the year is sitting in the last five minutes. I don't care if he was 3-for-33. He's still your best player. He still gives you the best opportunity to win this game," Sharpe said. "Because we've seen guys struggle, shooting the basketball and still catch by the last minute, minute and a half and you win the game."

Pitino faced tough questioning from reporters after the game, especially since Arkansas outscored St. John’s 11-4 during the final minutes. Initially, Pitino noted that Luis had already played 30 minutes.

“He played 30 minutes, that’s a long time... I played other people. You're asking leading questions, so don't ask me any questions. You already know why he didn't play," Pitino said.

Sharpe didn't hold back in his response, criticizing Pitino for not trusting his best player despite his shooting struggles.

"I think Coach Pitino was upset because he thought he had a superior team and it didn't get it done. But just because a guy's struggling from the floor, I wouldn't have benched him," Sharpe said. "I don't care if you played 30 minutes. It's a 40-minute ball game. And most of these college guys, Stevie Day, unless it's a blowout, they're gonna play 35, 36 minutes in a ball game. So, I disagree with everything Coach Pitino said. I'm lower on him for that. I'm even lower."

Arkansas takes down St. John’s in round of 32

Facing John Calipari’s Arkansas Razorbacks, St. John’s fell short in a 75-66 loss, marking their exit in the Round of 32. The Razorbacks got crucial contributions from their bench, with Billy Richmond leading the way with 16 points.

This matchup added another chapter to the long-standing rivalry between Rick Pitino and John Calipari. The two coaching legends have faced off nearly 30 times in their careers. Calipari now holds a 17-12 edge in their head-to-head battles.