GEICO PLAYERS ERA MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP

November 26, 2025

Rick Pitino

MGM Grand Garden Arena

St. John's Red Storm

Postgame Press Conference

Auburn - 85, St. John's - 74

Q. The last five minutes, up six --

RICK PITINO: The big play was [inaudible] play. We just let them lob in for a layup and missed four free throws in a row. And the momentum swung. Basically overall, our upperclassmen just had a horrendous night shooting the basketball. [Inaudible] and fourth-year players. And we aren't going to win very many games shooting that type of percentage.

Q. [Inaudible]?

RICK PITINO: It was hamstring.

Q. [Inaudible]?

RICK PITINO: I have no idea.

Q. How much does it hurt now having [inaudible]?

RICK PITINO: We played well without him last night. Again, it was the other guys [inaudible]. It was collectively a bad night by just about the entire senior class. Those nights happen. Auburn took advantage of it and they swung the game around.

Q. Turnovers are a little atypical for you guys. What do you think is going on there?

RICK PITINO: It's really not knowing scouting, not knowing they're a slap-down team. We didn't have a lot of time to prepare for them. We told them that they're a team that's going to just go attack the basketball. And this is not a great team with adhering to scouting with little time. And they had nine steals in the game, and that's not good.

We've got to get our assist-to-turnovers better. It's disappointing, going home 1-2. We'd like 2-1. So, a very disappointing trip. Gotta regroup against a very good Ole Miss team. We're 0-2 against the SEC.

Q. Talked about the defense throughout the season. (Indiscernible). Do you see some of those defensive issues --

RICK PITINO: This is a very average defensive team. They are not locked in like last year. Unless you're -- even Davon (phonetic), our guards rebounded. And this is not a locked-in defensive team because they're new to each other.

They're going to get it or they're going to continue losing. It's a matter of wanting to get it, wanting to be a great defensive team. If they do it, they'll get it. If not they won't and it'll be a long season.

Q. How last night went, did you think that was the catalyst --

RICK PITINO: I didn't think that Oziyah Sellers would go for 1-for-7, Dillon Mitchell 2-for-7, Bryce Hopkins 2-for-11. I didn't think that would happen. They were good shots, good looks. They didn't go down for us.

Q. You said you didn't have time to prepare for Auburn. Was not knowing who you were going to play until 10:30 last night an issue?

RICK PITINO: Yeah, but they didn't know either. So they didn't know. We had a chance to win the game. That's one of the weaknesses of this tournament is not knowing. But you're also getting a million dollars.

Q. As far as stopping Pettiford [inaudible]?

RICK PITINO: They made their free throws, they were 21 of 25. We're not a great defensive team. We're not. We're average at best. And we've got to become a good defensive team before we can become a great defensive team. That's something that takes a lot of buying in to every little fundamental defense, from blocking out on.

Q. I thought they had the four-point [inaudible] didn't get the rebound?

RICK PITINO: Gotta block out just as much as the other guys. He's not blocking out like he should. They were more aggressive. They were a better team this night. Maybe another night we win but they were a better team this night.

Q. With all the turnovers, what did you make of them?

RICK PITINO: Not being prepared for their slap-down defense. Not creating the proper spacing. We are a big preparation team. We were not prepared for the slap-down.

Q. [Inaudible] making a comeback from the early bad start --

RICK PITINO: I think the addition of Sadiku, he's the one that spurred the comeback, with great play. The rest of the guys [inaudible]. That out-of-bounds play with five seconds to throw it in, get a layup. That's absurd.

Q. Where I'm coming from, something out of bounds in the second half --

RICK PITINO: Look, [inaudible] you're going to go play Ole Miss and Kentucky. If you look that easy, then you don't beat Ole Miss or Kentucky.

Q. [Inaudible]?

RICK PITINO: I think that the defense adjusts. I think we can't let this guy score 17 points. (Indiscernible) I think he forced the issue, spin dribbles, but he was trying to win doing the best he can.

Q. What's your confidence level that this defense can get back?

RICK PITINO: I just take it one day at a time. I don't buy into it. I take it one day at a time. I've been through this before. I never thought this was a great team from day one, defensively, but we have a lot of work to do on defense.

We can get there, but it's going to take a different mindset by someone like younger players that scoring is not the ultimate, that it's defense, we've got to buy into it. And we've got to make sure our assist-to-turnover ratio is much better.

Q. There's a proposal out there for NCAA men's and women's to change the transfer portal --

RICK PITINO: Listen, I'm 73 years old. I'm not worried about the future. That's for another coach, not for me.

Q. You said a bunch of young guys, I guess you're talking about Joson mostly?

RICK PITINO: No, I'm talking about all of them. No, not at all.

Q. You said some of the younger guys.

RICK PITINO: Some of the younger guys have to buy into the mindset, but some of the younger guys were [inaudible].

Q. [Inaudible]?

RICK PITINO: You ask me crystal ball questions, but I can't tell you something that doesn't make sense.

Q. You have guys have been much better [inaudible]?

RICK PITINO: Yeah, but I can't say whether we would have won. I don't have a crystal ball.

Q. The way you guys do defensively especially --

RICK PITINO: I think he has the ability to get other people shots on offense. But defensively, he's limited.

Q. Did he come back in because of the emergency --

RICK PITINO: [Inaudible], yeah.