The biggest thing standing between Rick Pitino and the 900th win of his Division I coaching career is his son.
Pitino, who is one win away from that round milestone, and St. John’s are set to face Xavier on Saturday afternoon in Cincinnati.
His 43-year-old son Richard Pitino is in his first year as Xaver’s head coach.
“I think he will do everything humanly possible to stop it,” Rick Pitino said.
Tuesday night’s comeback win over Seton Hall at Madison Square Garden marked the 899th on-court victory of Pitino’s college career, tying him with Bob Knight for fourth all time.
Pitino said he was told toward the beginning of the Red Storm’s current five-game winning streak that victory No. 900 could come against his son — as long as St. John’s kept winning.
And St. John’s kept winning.
“What’s the chances of that happening?” Pitino said. “That you coach … 50 years, and your 900th game is against your son? I think that’s a big treat for me and the family. Either way, we know we’re gonna have a difficult game against them because of their style of play. He’s doing a fabulous job.”
Pitino is 899-316 over 38 college seasons, although the NCAA recognizes only 776 of Pitino’s victories because Louisville had 123 wins from 2010-14 vacated amid scandal.
But in terms of on-court wins, the only coaches with more than Pitino are Mike Krzyzewski (1,202), Jim Boeheim (1,116) and Roy Williams (903).
St. John’s (14-5; 7-1 vs. Big East) enters Saturday’s game in second place in the conference, while Xavier (11-8; 3-5 vs. Big East) began Friday tied for sixth.
Saturday marks the fifth head-to-head meeting between the Pitinos, with the elder coach boasting a 3-1 record. That includes last season’s St. John’s victory over New Mexico, then coached by Richard Pitino, at the Garden.
Xavier hired the younger Pitino in March after its previous head coach, Sean Miller, left for Texas.
“It’s like any other game,” Richard Pitino said. “I know there’s the storyline of my dad and this and that. But for me it’s a home game versus one of the best teams in the country. I’ve got to do my very best to not make it about that and make it solely on trying to put my guys in position to beat a really good team.”
The NCAA credits the late Knight with 902 victories because three of his losses at Indiana were later recognized as wins due to breaches by his opponents.
But in terms of on-court victories, Pitino will pass Knight the next time St. John’s wins.
“I can’t spell Coach Knight. He’s one of the greats of all time,” Pitino said. “I probably just coached a lot longer than him.”
With News Wire Services
