Will He or Won’t He?

Rick Pitino has chosen not to disclose what he might wear to the upcoming “whiteout” game against Villanova at the Garden on Saturday. Typically, such events see coaches donning white suits.

However, Pitino seems to be wrestling with the idea of moving on from a disappointing 32-point defeat against Connecticut.

Earlier in the year, he mentioned, “For the first time in my life, I went to a special tailor and had a white suit made for me.” He joked, “After I finish coaching this year, this could be my last white suit, but that’s not true. That’s what I said when I received the suit.” He paused and added, “I wasted a lot of money. Honestly, I was never going to wear it. But I have eight friends who go to this coffee shop with me on weekends, and they all bought white suits. I feel terrible for them. They really did that.”

When asked if he could reconsider, Pitino lightheartedly remarked, “If you buy me a drink, I might change my mind. But the chances of a mink buying me a drink are quite low.” It seems he’s open to the suggestion, yet hasn’t made a firm choice yet.

Two players, Oziya Sellers and Dillon Mitchell, are keen for Pitino to sport a white suit, noting that St. John’s has won both games when he chose to wear it.

Mitchell commented, “Then he had to wear a white suit.”

After their loss to the Huskies, Pitino shared that Connecticut’s coach Dan Hurley told him, “I feel like we’ll see each other again.” Pitino replied, “I hope you’re right.” The two teams are set to meet again in the Big East Tournament title game.

Pitino reflected on his emotional state after the loss, saying, “I was just trying to get out of it. When you go through a loss like that, you get angry and say the wrong thing.”

This season also saw St. John’s University senior star Zuby Ejiofor being recognized as the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, standing out among 15 finalists.