“Where have you guys been raised that you’re so weak mentally?”: Furious Rick Pitino’s tough love turns St. John’s fortunes vs Providence

At halftime of a Dec. 20 Big Ten matchup between St. John's and Providence, things weren't looking very promising for Rick Pitino's team. The Red Storm finished the half with a 13-point deficit after being outscored 42-29.

Pitino shared some tough love in the locker room, the video of which was shared on Wednesday by 'Bleacher Report.'

"Dig in and be a basketball player," Pitino told his team at halftime. "Every time you miss a shot, your game deflates. We don't care about your missed shots. Play f***ing defense."

The veteran coach's angry rant didn't end there.

"Where have you guys been raised that you're so weak mentally that you just f***ing give up when something doesn't go right for you?" Pitino asked. "Don't you know what adversity is all about?"

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

Pitino's tough love for his team worked. St. John's went on to outscore Providence 43-28 in the second half to pull off a 72-70 win. When the two teams faced off again on Feb. 1, the Red Storm seemingly still had Pitino's words on their minds. They defeated the Friars again, 68-66.

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

Rick Pitino's season at St. John's

Pitino is in his second season leading St. John's. The Red Storm missed the NCAA Tournament last season but are currently ranked No. 10 in the AP Poll. They sit atop the Big East conference and remain undefeated at home.

St. John's has recently picked up wins over Creighton, UConn, and No. 16 Marquette, but recorded one of only four losses this season on Wednesday when Pitino's team visited Villanova.

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

The Red Storm have five games ahead of them to finish off the regular season. Their only remaining ranked contest is the final game, a matchup at No. 16 Marquette.

St. John's defeated Marquette by six points when they hosted the Big East foes on Feb. 4, but Pitino's team has struggled on the road this season. All four of its losses have come in away contests.

Bracketology currently predicts that St. John's will be a four-seed in the NCAA Tournament. But there are still over two weeks of the regular season and conference tournaments ahead of March Madness.

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

Pitino's St. John's team has the potential to make an admirable tournament run, but the players need to keep their coach's pep talk in mind and stay tough to make it happen.