Expect St. John's to soar to new heights in Rick Pitino Year 2 for one big reason
Look, it’s entirely possible that this is just a statistical quirk that may have no bases in modern times.
Look, it’s entirely possible that this is just a statistical quirk that may have no bases in modern times. College basketball is an entirely different entity than it was even three years ago, let alone 30.
Still, it’s happened a lot.
Too often to just write off as an anomaly.
So here goes:
When Rick Pitino begins his second year as the head coach at St. John’s Nov. 4 when Fordham visits Carnesecca Arena, there will be any number of reasons to feel good about the Johnnies taking a step forward — primarily a roster that, on paper, seems more in tune with Pitino’s methodology.
They offered a hopeful glimpse by beating Rutgers in an exhibition, since Rutgers is a Top 25 team that, by season’s end, might well be taking aim at the top 15.
Those are the actual reasons to have hope.
Here is another:
At every one of Pitino’s previous five college stops, the team took gigantic steps forward in Year 2. Every single time, BU to Providence, Kentucky to Louisville to Iona. And in almost every case, Year 2 set the tone for what would be the entirety of the Pitino tenures there.