Pitino Praises St. John's Grit After Duke Loss

0:00On March 28th, Rick Patino just wrapped up his press conference after St. John's tough loss to number one rank Duke in the big tournament game. His red storm jumped out to a 10-point lead, but couldn't hold it, falling short because they got beat on relentless drives to the basket, what Patino called, bully drives. He gave full credit to Duke's physical play and said his squad fought with heart all season. Earlier in the game, St. John's owned the three-point line. Their only real shot against Duke's size. But down the stretch, defensive breakdowns led Duke bully their way inside repeatedly. Patino shut down talk of one key Duke player making the difference. Insisting it was all about his team's failure to stop those interior attacks. Fans and players are feeling the sting. St. John's believed they could pull off the upset, and the locker room weight while Duke celebrated at its salt to the wound. Patino even suggested the NCAA switch it up. Let the losing team do interviews first so they don't hang out disappointed for over half an hour.

1:00Breaking it down further, Patino highlighted how unique this group was. No arguments, no drama through a brutal schedule in his 52 years, coaching. They snagged the big East regular season and tournament titles, earning what he likened to an Olympic bronze medal. We'll give it time, reflect on the pride and grit they showed, then hit pause for some well-deserved rest before next season ramps up.