Rick Pitino admits he would 'love' to face Kentucky in NCAA Tournament

Rick Pitino rekindled his relationship with Kentucky fans last year when he endorsed new Wildcats head coach Mark Pope and triumphantly returned to Rupp Arena for a surprise appearance at Big Blue Madness. While Pitino is on better terms with Kentucky than he has been in years, he wouldn’t mind squaring off against the ‘Cats in March.

In ESPN analyst Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology, he projected Kentucky and St. John’s to meet in the Round of 32 if they both win their first-round matchups. During an appearance on Pardon My Take, Pitino weighed in on the possibility of coaching against his former program.

“I would love it because we got to the 32. We got by the first round,” Pitino said with a laugh. “No, I think Kentucky’s probably a polar opposite basketball team than us. They are a brilliant offensive team.

“Although, we get a lot of assists per game. We have a high number of assists. Kentucky is a five-out basketball team. We’re a terrific defensive team, offensive rebounding team. We’re great off the bounce. But I would love it obviously.”

The matchup would be like ice versus fire. As Pitino mentioned, Kentucky’s offense is one of the best in the nation this season, averaging 85.8 points per game. For reference, St. John’s is averaging 78.3 points per game.

However, what the Red Storm lack on offense, they boast in spades on defense. St. John’s is giving up just 65.3 points per game compared to Kentucky, which allows 75.7 points per game.

In the end, it would likely come down to each team’s game plan. And in the case of St. Johns versus Kentucky, it would be a master versus his student.

Rick Pitino coached Kentucky head coach Mark Pope in the 1995 and 1996 seasons at Kentucky. In fact, Pope was the team captain of Kentucky’s 1996 National Championship team. While Pitino wouldn’t shy away from the challenge, he hasn’t hesitated to praise Pope’s coaching ability in the past.

“Mark Pope is going to lead you to greatness in every sense of the word,” Pitino said at Big Blue Madness.

Pitino can only hope that greatness doesn’t come at the cost of St. John’s season. Of course, the Red Storm shouldn’t be too worried currently. With a 23-4 record, St. John’s is No. 1 in the Big East and ranked 10th in the country. With March only a week away, St. John’s is poised for a postseason run.