St. John’s basketball HC Rick Pitino reacts to getting win No. 899 right before playing son

St. John’s basketball delivered one of its most memorable moments of the season Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.

The Red Storm rallied for a 65–60 comeback victory over the Seton Hall Pirates, securing career win No. 899 for head coach Rick Pitino. St. John’s erased a 15-point second-half deficit and closed the game with poise, improving to 7–1 in Big East play and 14–5 overall.

Dillon Mitchell fueled the surge with 17 points and 11 rebounds, punctuating the comeback with a go-ahead layup with 4:53 left. The win marked St. John’s best conference start since the 1998–99 season and further highlighted the program’s resurgence under Pitino.

The milestone carried added significance because of what lies ahead. St. John’s travels to Cincinnati on Saturday to face Xavier, where Pitino could earn career win No. 900 against his son, who is in his first season as the Musketeers’ head coach.

FOX College Hoops shared Pitino’s postgame reaction on X (formerly known as Twitter), highlighting the emotional weight of the potential milestone following Tuesday’s victory.

“Rick Pitino is well aware how special it would be to earn career win No. 900 against his son on Saturday ”

Rick Pitino is well aware how special it would be to earn career win No. 900 against his son on Saturday @StJohnsBBall pic.twitter.com/vuwP9dS2rZ

— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) January 21, 2026

In the clip, the two-time national champion coach explained that the moment only became real recently, reflecting on when the possibility was first raised.

“The amazing thing to me, when [St. John’s media relations staffer] Kenny Klein told me about it four games ago,” Pitino said. “He said, if you keep winning, you can have your 900th win against your son.”

Pitino also leaned into the humor surrounding the matchup while keeping his competitive edge intact.

“This is going to be a lot of fun, a great game,” he said. “If we lose, I’ll leave my team in Cincinnati.”

Saturday’s showdown represents more than a milestone. It places family, history, and Big East stakes on the same floor, adding another chapter to the remarkable revival of St. John’s basketball.

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