"Rick Pitino has had success at every college that he has coached": Dick Vitale congratulates St. John's & HC for "major W" against Marquette

ESPN analyst Dick Vitale posted on X on Tuesday, shouting out Rick Pitino and his No. 12 St. John's Red Storm for their win over No. 11 Marquette that day.

"Pitino has had SUCCESS at every college that he has coached," Vitale said in his post.

Pitino led St. John's to a 70-64 win in the Big East Conference matchup. This victory allowed the Red Storm to remain undefeated at home this season and extend their win streak to nine games. Along with these nine straight wins, St. John has won 15 of its last 16 games. Marquette, on the other hand, picked up its second-straight loss, both coming from ranked opponents.

"I thought all the guys played great defense," Pitino said 0f his team following the win. "They help each other, they switch. This is a relentless defensive team, and you see it all the time. ... This is a relentless group. A relentless group that's totally bought into stopping every play."

NCAA Basketball: Marquette at St. John - Source: Imagn

Vitale, who is set to make his return to broadcasting for this Saturday's Clemson vs. Duke game after taking two years off to focus on his cancer recovery, was tuned in to the ranked matchup. The former coach used his post on X to show his praise for fellow veteran coach Pitino.

NCAA Basketball: Marquette at St. John - Source: Imagn

Rick Pitino's coaching career

Rick Pitino is in his second season with St. John's, but the 72-year-old's coaching career dates back to the 1975-76 season, when he led the University of Hawaii. During the 1980s and 1990s, he coached at Boston University for five seasons, Providence for two seasons and Kentucky for four, leading the Wildcats to a Final Four appearance in 1997.

The current coach of the Red Storm is probably best known for his 16 seasons with Louisville, leading the team to a National Championship title in 2013. He was fired in 2017 after an FBI investigation into corruption and bribery, from which he was later exonerated.

“I love my players, and I love the fans of Louisville. I’ve never been invited back to Louisville,” Pitino said. “They fired me – quite abruptly – not very nicely, but I offer nothing against the fans and certainly nothing against my players. I love them dearly, I love the fans dearly, but I’ve never been invited back one time."

Syndication: The Courier-Journal - Source: Imagn

After leaving Louisville, Pitino spent three seasons at Iona, leading the team to two NCAA Tournament appearances. He's now in his second season at St. John's. The win over ranked Marquette is the newest addition to his list of achievements with the university this season. The Red Storm are 20-3 and are receiving national attention, including from Vitale.