Eye On College Basketball: Rick Pitino Talks NCAA Tournament Expansion & Managing St. John's Expectations

Podcast: Eye On College Basketball
Hosts: Matt Norlander (interviewer), Rick Pitino (guest, Head Coach, St. John’s)
Date: October 21, 2025
[Content begins at 01:21]

Episode Overview

This episode features CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander in conversation with legendary coach Rick Pitino at Big East Media Day. Pitino, now leading St. John’s, discusses his team’s high expectations, how he’s navigating a mostly new roster, reflections on last season’s NCAA Tournament heartbreak, and offers candid thoughts about NCAA Tournament expansion and the current state of college basketball.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. St. John's Championship Expectations

• Roster Turnover & Early Challenges
  • Pitino emphasizes the unique difficulty of building a team when 10 of the players are new this year.
  • “The most difficult task is schools like Connecticut with three starters back...It’s difficult putting 10 new guys in with the other players that are returning.” (01:59)
• Similarities to Pro Basketball
  • Pitino likens modern college rosters to the NBA, with even less continuity: “In pro basketball...you get them for three or four year contracts; here you’re getting it for one year contracts. So it's different.” (02:37)
• Fulfillment in Coaching
  • Despite challenges, he still finds joy: “They’re terrific young men that I really enjoy coaching.” (02:37)

2. Carrying Over From Last Season

• Last Season’s Lessons
  • The team had a historic season but suffered an early NCAA Tournament loss to Arkansas.
  • Pitino describes the nature of March Madness: “That’s the NCAA tournament. It’s one game and the parity is here right now.” (03:48)
• Scheduling for Early Development
  • This year, he’s scheduled tough games (Alabama, Ole Miss, Kentucky, Iowa State, Baylor, possibly Houston) to identify weaknesses early:
    “I wanted to find out what we need to work on to become a great team come March.” (04:08)

3. Reflections on Tournament Losses

• Handling Defeats
  • On whether losses sting less:
    “No, it does eat at me...We were not a good three-point shooting team last year...But we were a great defensive team. So you win with your strengths and you lose with your weaknesses.” (05:11)

4. St. John's Roster & Player Highlights

• Improved Shooting
  • Pitino is optimistic about shooting:
    “Definitely Oziah Sellers, he's a great shooter. Ian Jackson's a very good shooter...Left Faris, his first name—he’s a very good shooter...We’re a better shooting team.” (05:48)
• Talented Newcomers
  • Justin Sanon: “Josan is probably…the most gifted basketball player in the team. He has the most tools, very athletic, scores the basketball...Now he’s got to learn to play defense...” (06:30)
  • Zubi Edgeofor:
    “Zubi’s the captain and the heart and soul. His work ethic is infectious...But Zubi's a marked man right now.” (07:23)

5. Handling High Expectations

• Fast Ascent & Pressure
  • On St. John’s jump to being a top-5, even No. 1, program:
    “You want it to happen as soon as you can get it there, but maintaining it and staying there is the difficult part, especially with the schedule we’re playing.” (08:15)

6. State of College Basketball in 2025

• Transfer Portal & NIL Impact
  • Players are staying in college longer due to NIL:
    “Talented players would stay longer because they can make more money staying in college than they could trying for the NBA...The talent pool’s going to be much greater, which is a good thing.” (09:30)
• Future Contracts for Stability
  • Pitino proposes multi-year contracts for college players, initiated by coaches rather than waiting for the NCAA:
    “We have to change those, coaches, and sign players to two and three-year contracts.” (10:05)

7. NCAA Tournament Expansion

• Pitino Supports Expansion
  • He’s open and positive about expanding the field from 68 to 76 teams: “Anytime you get more teams, more excitement, more TV coverage, more things to speak about, more athletes participating, it can only be a good thing.” (10:47)
  • Recalls the field size in earlier decades and asserts expansion “doesn’t hurt anything, it only helps.” (10:47)
• Matt’s Counterpoint
  • Matt voices a concern:
    “You give fans less reasons to be engaged in the first six to eight weeks of the season...” (11:28)
  • Pitino rebuts:
    “If it was a substantial number, I’d agree...It’s the greatest event in college basketball...In November...nobody really cares. It’s all about the NFL and college football right now.” (11:53)

8. Defining Success for St. John’s

• Pitino's Daily Approach
  • “I think success is defined for any coach by his daily routine of what he’s trying to accomplish that day...I don’t think you can look ahead because it’s fool’s gold. I think you just gotta take care of today.” (12:42)
  • He cautions his players against public championship talk:
    “Bryce, what we say behind closed doors needs to stay behind closed doors. Don’t be telling the media all goals, please.” (13:17)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Scheduling Top Programs:
  “That’s why I scheduled Alabama second game of the season, Ole Miss in the Garden, Kentucky in Atlanta, going to Las Vegas and playing Iowa State, Baylor and possibly Houston.” (04:08, Pitino)
• On the Transfer Portal and Stability:
  “You can’t rely on the NCAA. The NCAA takes years to change things...We have to change those, coaches, and sign players to two and three year contracts.” (10:05, Pitino)
• On the Nature of March Madness:
  “That’s the NCAA tournament. It’s one game and the parity is here right now.” (03:48, Pitino)
• Defining Success:
  “I think success is defined for any coach by his daily routine of what he’s trying to accomplish that day...I think you just gotta take care of today.” (12:42, Pitino)

Key Timestamps by Topic

• (01:21) – Start of interview; Pitino on preseason expectations
• (02:37) – Fulfillment in relationships with new teams in the modern era
• (03:48) – Takeaways from last season’s tournament, prepping with a tough schedule
• (05:11) – Team’s shooting struggles and defensive strengths last year
• (05:48) – Who are the shooters this season? Roster breakdown
• (06:30) – Roles and potential of newcomers, esp. Justin Sanon and Zubi
• (08:15) – Managing expectations; St. John’s rise
• (09:30) – The state of college basketball, NIL, and talent retention
• (10:47) – Pitino’s thoughts on NCAA Tournament expansion
• (12:42) – How Pitino defines success for this year’s team
• (13:17) – On keeping championship talk internal

Takeaways

Rick Pitino is cautiously optimistic about St. John’s, emphasizing improvement in shooting and the infectious work ethic of leaders like Zubi Edgeofor. He’s honest about the challenge of building chemistry with so many new players, likens the process to short-term professional contracts, and remains focused on daily improvement as the only reliable barometer of success in a volatile era.

On the big picture, Pitino welcomes NCAA Tournament expansion, sees NIL as a net positive for both talent retention and the sport’s quality, and believes more change should come from the coaching ranks rather than waiting for slow-moving NCAA reforms.

For listeners eager for both tactical and philosophical insights on the evolving landscape of college hoops, Pitino delivers his trademark mix of candor and old-school toughness.