St. John’s coach Pitino expected back Saturday

Jan 19, 2024, 05:14 PM ET

NEW YORK– St. John’s coach Rick Pitino is expected back on the sideline Saturday versus No. 17 Marquette following a bout with COVID-19.

Pitino was at practice Thursday after missing his team’s 80-65 blowout loss Tuesday night at Seton Hall. Minus their Hall of Fame coach, the Red Storm (12-6, 4-3 Big East) missed their first 10 shots from the field and quit 28 straight indicate the first-place Pirates to close the very first half and begin the second.Associate head coach Steve Masiello ran the group in the lack of Pitino, who stated he enjoyed the game reside on tv.”I was truly feeling weak and ill, and got a lot sicker,”Pitino said Friday with a sheepish grin.” We just had among those nights where we didn’t bring it.” Red Storm guard Jordan Dingle, the group’s third-leading scorer at 10.5 points per game, likewise remained versus Seton Hall since of illness and will not bet Marquette(12-5, 3-3) at Madison Square Garden.St. John’s will be without three assistant coaches also: Ricky Johns, Van Macon and Taliek

Brown.”I believe I’ll be okay,”Pitino said with a smile.The 71-year-old Pitino remains in his very first season at St. John’s.

Among the winningest coaches in NCAA Division I history,

he was worked with March 20 after investing 3 seasons at Iona.During his 35 seasons as a college head coach, Pitino has actually made 23 NCAA competition appearances with five different schools and advanced to the Final

Four seven times, an overall reached by only six coaches.He ended up being the first coach to take 3 schools to the Last 4 and the first to win an NCAA champion at 2 schools– Louisville and Kentucky.