Coach Rick Pitino started last year's offseason with a clean slate of players as only a few returned. Despite this, the St. John's basketball program rocked their conference by earning 12 wins against tough opponents. They reached the Big East tournament's semifinal and put up a fight as the top-seeded team in the nation, UConn, just narrowly escaped them. Now, the selection committee decided to not include them in March Madness and relegated them to the NIT.

This call by the NCAA clearly did not please Rick Pitino. The St. John's basketball coach was not having it as they did not reach the NCAA Tournament in March Madness. Moreover, he also revealed that they will not be participating in the NIT, via the Eye on the Storm Podcast.

“I think we should never mention that word again (NET) 'cause it’s fraudulent,” Pitino said.

St. John's gets snubbed

; St. John's Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino talks to center Joel Soriano (11) during the second half against the Seton Hall Pirates at Madison Square Garden
© Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

These sentiments are more than valid and echoed throughout the St. John's basketball faithful. After all, they gave UConn a run for their money in the Big East tournament by scoring 90 points. This was the most that any team scored on the Huskies defense throughout their whole 2023-24 campaign. However, it was just not their fate to reach the big dance this year.

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All the head honcho could do was try to comfort his players. However, he knows that this brutal end to their season is more than just heartbreaking and soul-crushing, via Adam Zagoria of New York Times Sports.

“Life is full of disappointments. If I could just give my players a hug and make the pain go away, I would do that, but unfortunately, I can't,” the St. John's basketball coach said in a Zoom call after Selection Sunday.

Instead of the Red Storm, the selection committee's last four in teams were: Boise State, Colorado, Virginia and Colorado State. Had they gotten a bid to the big dance, the St. John's basketball squad would have been the third Big East team to make it. This would have tied the conference with the Pac-12 for having the third-most bids in March Madness. Now, this team has a chip on their shoulder and will surely make a run for a spot next year.