“Bullied and Embarrassed”: No Escape for Rick Pitino From Dan Hurley as St. John’s Distressing NCAA Past Triggers National Reporter’s Bold UConn Stance

“It’s been 31 years of bullying“. That is what Jon Rothstein said in December 2023, before St. John and UConn were poised to face each other in Hartford. He did not stop there. He brought back memories of 1992, and how, since Lou Carnesecca’s retirement, things haven’t looked great for St. John. “Since 1992, UConn is 26-13 against St. John’s and has won five national titles,” he wrote then, hoping for an ARMAGEDDON in Hartford. However, that did not quite happen as the team lost by 4 points to Hurley’s squad. Fast forward to now, and Hurley still holds the edge.

When Rick Pitino was named the 22nd head coach in the history of St. John’s men’s basketball program, he was already one of the winningest coaches in NCAA Division I history. Not just that—his 54-21 record in the NCAA Tournament and nearly .720 winning percentage ranked third among all active coaches. Still, that’s not all: nearly 23 NCAA Tournament appearances, seven Final Four runs, and an overall record of 854-306. So, on paper, Pitino held a résumé that should have struck fear into opponents. But Dan Hurley? He was really rivaling his dad (Bob Hurley Sr.), as Pitino himself once said.

Dan Hurley, UConn’s brash and intense coach, has been a thorn in Pitino’s side. His 4-2 record against him is telling enough. But, that is not all. Remember the 2024 Big East Tournament semifinal at Madison Square Garden? Both coaches got technical fouls but Hurley just couldn’t stop dripping with sarcasm, even after trying to get a St. John ejected. “I was just kind of pointing out to [referee James Breeding] that he was behaving worse than Coach Pitino,” he later said. So, yes, those antics with the edge he has has made even Pitino say things like, “If I lose to Danny Hurley, if I lose to whoever, I’m in a miserable mood. I wanna die“.

By now, you can probably tell why, after more than a year, Rothstein is still harping that “bullied and embarrased” narrative. According to him, UConn’s 2023 and 2024 campaigns delivered a run that’s hard to replicate. “Dan Hurley’s team ripped through two NCAA Tournaments like a chainsaw through butter, winning those games by an average margin of over 21 points per game. We may never see that again in our lifetime,” he recently shared on X.

Continuing, he gave a reality check to Pitino, who did have a turning point this season but fell short of fuel. “And UConn, for years, has bullied and embarrassed St. John’s”. Indeed. As he further said, “Since 1992, St. John’s has won 6 NCAA Tournament Games and since 1992, #UConn has won 6 National Championships”.

“UConn, for years has bullied and embarrassed St. John’s. Since 1992, St. John’s has won 6 NCAA Tournament Games and since 1992, #UConn has won 6 National Championships” – @JonRothstein pic.twitter.com/XFvBAprWez

— Mr. Smith (@BadChoiceMilk) May 1, 2025

He’s not wrong. Just consider UConn’s 2022–23 run. That season, Hurley guided them to a 31-8 overall record, finishing fourth in the conference. Despite a semifinal exit in the Big East Tournament, they secured a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament—and that was a game-changer. Iona, Saint Mary’s, Arkansas, Gonzaga, Miami, and San Diego State—UConn swept through every team on their way to a national title. And then, there was no looking back. In the following 2023–24 season, the Huskies delivered a historic campaign. They posted a program-best 37-3 overall record, securing both the Big East regular season and tournament titles. Their final game? A dominant 75-60 victory over Purdue to clinch the national championship. And that wasn’t all.

In the process, the Huskies set an NCAA Division I record with a +140 point differential over six tournament games, winning each by at least 14 points. All thanks to Hurley. Under his leadership, the team amassed a 68-11 record—the most wins over a two-year span in program history. So, while the national dominance was undeniable, St. John was often at the receiving end of it. In fact, over their last 10 matchups, UConn leads Pitino 6-4. That isn’t a bad difference, but it again isn’t the dominance Pitino must have been hoping for, considering their rivalry thrives on hostility, as Rothstein said.

However, as we said before, this year did establish promise in a program that has long struggled. After claiming the first Big East championship in 25 years, Pitino acquired a newfound confidence, which is exactly what made Pitino take a playful jab at Hurley during the NCAA tournament selection. “So get your Providence tickets, head up north. When you pass Storrs on the way by, just wave to them.” It is clear that Pitino is getting back in the game and honestly, no one expected it to go the other way. Now, thanks to the offseason, Pitino is now all the more confortably poised to flip the tables.

Rick Pitino strategises to defeat Dan Hurley

Following a 31–5 season and a Big East championship, Rick Pitino is back at it. He’s retooling and reloading a St. John’s roster that lost some major firepower. With the departures of key contributors like Kadary Richmond and Deivon Smith to graduation, and Big East Player of the Year RJ Luis Jr. declaring for the NBA Draft, Pitino had work to do—and fast.

So what did he do? He got to business in the frontcourt. First came 6’11” Handje Tamba, who put up 10.5 points and 8.9 rebounds per game last season and brings rim protection and size that the Red Storm needed. Then, Pitino secured four-star wing Kelvin Odih, a top-75 high school recruit known for his defensive intensity and long-term upside. The message was clear: Pitino’s building for both now and the future. He has further strengthened with a strong transfer class that includes Ian Jackson, Bryce Hopkins, Joson Sanon, and Oziyah Sellers. On top of that, Zuby Eliofor is set to return.

And it was clear in his mind that no freshman could pull off what Richmond and Smith did as ball handlers. When asked what he would do if a 5-star recruit called and expressed his interest, his message was clear: “I probably wouldn’t take them because I don’t think you can win big with High School kids”. That is exactly why Ian Jackson was brought in, as Pitino posted, “We had Big shoes to fill at the point. Kadary and Deivon were awesome . The ball is now in the hands of our next great point. Let’s Go Ian!!!“.

So, he has a plan and he has faith in his new roster. Some might call these risky and cocky moves, but if there is one thing we know about the 72-year-old coach, it is that he still has the fire and has adapted well so far to the ever-dynamic college basketball scene. Do you think Hurley needs to lace up his shoes?

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