"We better win or I'm jumping in the East River": Rick Pitino drops hilarious take on St. John's Big East Tournament expectations

St. John's won the Big East regular season title for the first time since 1986, and are the favorites for the conference tournament. However, Red Storm coach Rick Pitino had a blunt take on his team’s chances in the tournament.

On Wednesday, basketball expert Bruce Beck asked the coach about his expectations heading into the Big East Tournament, and he responded with a smile, saying:

"We better win or I'm jumping in the East River," with a big grin on his face.

The Red Storm ended the season with a 27-4 record, which is a program best, and 18-2 in conference play. They are set to make a return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019.

Pitino will be confident of leading his team to the championship in the Big East Tournament before the March Madness run starts next week, where St. John's is one of the teams to watch out for.

The Johnnies will play their first game in the Big East Tournament against the No. 9 seed Butler Bulldogs (14-18, 6-14 Big East) on Thursday at Madison Square Garden at noon ET.

This will be the third meeting between both teams this year, with the Red Storm triumphing in the first two. Pitino has acknowledged that his team will have to come up with something different if it wants to earn a third straight victory against the Bulldogs.

"You have to change each time you play a team and come up with new schemes, offensively and defensively," Pitino said. "If you just do the same things over and over, then you're probably going to get beat a third time."

Rick Pitino bags top award after amazing work at St. John's

NCAA Basketball: Seton Hall at St. John's - Source: Imagn

Rick Pitino was named Big East Coach of the Year for 2025 on Wednesday after becoming the first St. John's coach since 1986 to lead the program to a regular-season title.

It was the 72-year-old’s first championship as coach in the Big East after 12 seasons, having led Providence, Louisville and now St. John's. He is also the first Johnnies coach since Lou Carnesecca to win this award.

It took only two years for Pitino to take the program from one struggling with NIL players and equipment to one at the pinnacle of Big East success.

“I think anytime you get voted by your peers for an award it’s extra special,” Pitino said. “The Big East has had the greatest coaches in the history of college basketball. So it’s a special award today for me to be amongst some of those greats that won this award previously.”

Pitino was not the only success story for the Red Storm on the night, as RJ Luis Jr. was also named the Big East Player of the Year. Luis became the first Red Storm player to win the Big East best player award since Walter Berry.