Overcast with showers at times. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 58F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%..
Overcast with showers at times. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 58F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Updated: December 20, 2025 @ 5:52 pm
ATLANTA (AP) — Rick Pitino felt like it was just another game, even though he was going against his former school and a captain from his 1996 national championship team.
For the first time in nearly a decade, Pitino faced the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday in the opening game of a college basketball doubleheader in Atlanta.
It was no big deal, said the 73-year-old Pitino, who is in his third season as St. John's coach.
“You know, if this was at Rupp (Arena in Lexington), I think I'd have a lot more emotions," Pitino said after Kentucky rallied for a 78-66 victory over his No. 22 Red Storm. “I didn't have any emotions.”
Pitino coached the Wildcats from 1989 through 1997, most notably winning the national title in his next-to-last season with Mark Pope as a captain.
Pope is now the head coach at Kentucky.
“I'm really proud of Mark,” Pitino said. “I think he's done a brilliant thing with changing the whole mindset of the team."
Pope also downplayed the significance of facing his former coach.
“The only thing I care about is our team growing,” Pope said. "I love Coach. I love him. But I'm just happy for our guys.”
From Pitino's perspective, Pope has taken a squad that doesn't have a lot of great shooters and molded them into a more physical style of play. That was certainly on display in the second half Saturday as the Wildcats held St. John's without a field goal for nearly nine minutes.
“They're going to be a very good basketball team,” Pitino said. “They're going to have to keep playing smash-mouth basketball and play like that physical team. I give Mark all the credit in the world. He's a big believer in finesse, a big believer in shooting the 3, but it's not working so let's change it, man."
Like Kentucky (8-4), St. John's has been a bit of a disappointment after going 31-5 a year ago to win the Big East Conference.
The Red Storm (7-4) could fall out of the AP Top 25 with the latest setback.
“I'm disappointed with any loss,” Pitino said. “But our job is to get better. We've got a decent basketball team, nothing more than decent. We've got to take decent to good."
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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