The St. John's basketball team is changing for the better under Rick Pitino. Pitino has won a Big East regular season conference championship with the Red Storm, in just his second season. It's the first time in 40 years that the school accomplished that feat outright.

St. John's basketball player RJ Luis is providing insight on why the team is bought in.

“This is a person you have to listen to. I try to be a sponge and learn as much as I can,” Luis said in an interview on CBS Sports. “I came here to take my game to the next level, and obviously play under a great coach.”

The Red Storm are truly having a tremendous season. St. John's is 26-4 overall and 17-2 in the conference. The club hasn't had this kind of success since Lou Carnesecca was in charge more than three decades ago.

St. John's could be heading to a Final Four under Rick Pitino

Feb 16, 2025; New York, New York, USA; St. John's Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino signals to the team in the first half against the Creighton Bluejays at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
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This has been a truly emotional basketball season for St. John's fans. Pitino has the team headed to Madison Square Garden for the Big East Tournament as the no. 1 seed. That is in itself truly special.

The team accomplished that despite the loss of beloved former St. John's coach Lou Carnesecca. Carnesecca took the program to a Final Four in 1985. That season was the last time St. John's won the Big East regular season title outright. This season, Pitino honored Carnesecca by wearing a trademark sweater the late coach appeared with on the sidelines.

“I'm really, really proud of the guys,” Pitino said, per CBS Sports. “I'm really happy for them. I'm proud of the fans who have been packing Madison Square Garden in two years, and I'm over the top happy for our student body. Our students are the type of guys that, when school's over, they're working at night. They don't have a lot of money. So I'm really happy for our student body, because they've gotten behind the team in heavy numbers.”

Pitino has already taken three programs to the NCAA Tournament's Final Four, and St. John's could be his fourth. He reached that prestigious level at Providence, Louisville and Kentucky. Pitino won a national championship at Kentucky, and another at Louisville was vacated due to scandal.

St. John's basketball has one conference game remaining this year against Marquette. Then the school takes its shot at the Big East tournament in New York City.

The Red Storm and Marquette play on Saturday.