Rick Pitino has put St. John’s basketball back on the national map in just two seasons at the helm. This past year, he led the Red Storm to their first Big East regular season and tournament titles since 2000, as well as their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019.

Pitino vs. his pupil, Mark Pope, in what could be a top-10 matchup the weekend before Christmas. An elite game just got added to college hoops' calendar

Rick Pitino is set to face one of his former teams next season with St. John's scheduled to play Kentucky during the 2025-26 season. Pitino and Kentucky head coach Mark Pope announced on Thursday their teams will square off in the 2025 CBS Sports Classic. The game will be played on Dec. 20 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.