St. John's Pitino Faces Backlash After Arkansas Loss

St. John's Red Storm suffered a surprising defeat to the Arkansas Razorbacks, losing 75-66 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Rick Pitino's decision to bench star player RJ Luis Jr. in the game's final minutes drew significant criticism, particularly as the team was only two points behind at that moment. Despite Luis being named the Big East Player of the Year, he struggled with only nine points on 3-of-17 shooting. Pitino defended his choice by citing Luis' performance and mentioned that he had played 30 minutes, implying fatigue. The loss ended St. John's promising season, which included winning their first Big East championship in 25 years, and left players and fans disappointed. Pitino acknowledged that foul trouble affected the team's performance but ultimately credited Arkansas for their superior play.