‘Unenjoyable’: Pitino rips SJU after 8th loss in 10

• Jeff Borzello, ESPN Staff WriterFeb 19, 2024, 12:32 AM ET

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  • Basketball recruiting expert.
  • Joined ESPN in 2014.
  • Graduate of University of Delaware.Following St. John’s

eighth loss in its previous 10 games, coach Rick Pitino lamented his group’s lack of durability and athleticism, stating” this has been the most unenjoyable experience I have actually had since I’ve been coaching.”The Red Storm blew a 19-point lead to lose 68-62 to tristate competitor and fellow bubble team Seton Hall on Sunday night, being up to 14-12 general and 6-9 in the Big East, which places them in ninth location. With 5 games left in the routine season before the Big East competition, St. John’s most likely needs to run the table the rest of the way before advancing in the conference tournament to have an opportunity to get an NCAA tournament bid.Pitino, the Hall of Popularity coach in his first season with the Red Storm, didn’t hold back after the game.

“If I stated I was dissatisfied, that would be the understatement of the year, “he said.”Our lateral speed and our toughness is just something I’ve never ever seen in all my years of training. “We are so nonathletic that we can’t guard any person without fouling. … And truly it’s not about losing. Even winning, when

I watch the film, I see unathletic plays, I see individuals that do not handle the ball, that are just interested in taking quick shots. It’s been a frustrating year. “St. John’s scored simply four points in the first 12 minutes of the 2nd half, enjoying a 12-point halftime lead vanish without much resistance. It was the latest in a string of blown leads in current weeks for the Red Storm, who suffered a three-point cause Providence on Tuesday after leading at halftime, and blew a 15-point lead against Marquette last weekend.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated” I believe the other team makes modifications and we need to make adjustments to move the basketball and take excellent shots. However we simply lack toughness,”Pitino said.”We just don’t move our

feet on defense

. They shot 37 totally free tosses. Throw out the statistics. You see it every game. The quantity of totally free tosses they shoot, the amount of complimentary throws we shoot. Look at what Nahiem [Alleyne] shot on the year. Take a look at what Chris Ledlum shot on the year. You’re a power forward, you played 29 minutes without a free throw. That means you’re not offensive rebounding, you’re not getting to the line. It’s really all the durability things are why we quit leads. “After replacing Mike Anderson last spring, Pitino strongly rebuilt the St. John’s lineup. 9 players went into the transfer portal, with the Red Storm adding 10 transfers and two ESPN 100 freshmen to go with just 2 holdovers from last season.”I had no choice,”he stated.” We just might take who we might get, who was offered, we had no choice. I do not think we were going to win the first year anyhow, because when you hurry like that, you don’t see the players. Not a whole lot we can do.”St. John’s started the

season with a 12-4 record, consisting of wins over Utah, Xavier, Butler, Villanova and Providence. However the wheels have fallen off since then, with the Red Storm going 2-8 in their previous 10 games to fall out of the forecasted NCAA competition field. Pitino is struggling to find the right mix of players, even taking All-Big East huge male Joel Soriano out of the beginning lineup against Providence earlier in the week due to inconsistency.Soriano was among the players– “about five guys are slow laterally”– mentioned by Pitino on Sunday night who struggle to move defensively. Pitino also stated that St. John’s having “s– centers”is not the reason for its defensive woes.The Red Storm return to the court Wednesday at Georgetown

, which has one win in the previous two months however is a group Pitino said” can absolutely beat us.”When asked by a reporter if he had any reservations about taking the St. John’s task, Pitino stated no. “It’s not St. John’s, it’s my group,”he stated.