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Rick Pitino calls NET rankings 'fraudulent,' laments St. John's missing NCAA Tournament

FaceProfileby:Thomas Goldkamp•03/17/24
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ATHENS, GREECE - FEBRUARY 21: Rick Pitino, Head Coach of Panathinaikos Opap Athens react during the 2019/2020 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season Round 25 match between Panathinaikos Opap Athens and FC Barcelona at OAKA on February 21, 2020 in Athens, Greece. (Photo by Panagiotis Moschandreou/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images)

St. John’s had one of the most interesting seasons of any team in the country, but the Red Storm came up just short of the NCAA Tournament field when it was announced on Sunday evening.

And coach Rick Pitino was not happy with the metrics that led to that decision.

He opened fire on the NET rankings, one of the primary factors in the NCAA Tournament decision-making process, blasting them and calling for their use to end.

“I mean we’re 32 in the NET. I mean first of all I think we should all probably never mention that word again, because I think it’s fraudulent,” Pitino said. “My son was 25 in the NET and he was saying he wasn’t in with 25 wins. So I think the NET’s something that shouldn’t even be mentioned anymore.”

Pitino’s son, Richard Pitino, did make it into the tournament with New Mexico, though the Lobos earned a bid by virtue of winning the Mountain West tournament. Whether they’d have been a similar victim of fate like St. John’s had they not is a question that won’t be answered.

But for Pitino’s squad, a remarkable close to the season was met with disappointment.

After Pitino shredded his team and went full scorched earth following a 68-62 loss to Seton Hall, St. John’s went on to win its next six games. The run was ended in the semifinals of the Big East Tournament with a loss to UConn, which earned a No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Pitino felt his squad was deserving of a tournament berth as well.

“I think that we had a good strength of schedule,” he said. “KenPom, why mention him, we were 26 in KenPom. So I don’t know. We tried to play a tough schedule. We tried to do things the right way and we didn’t get in.”

St. John’s finished the year with 20 wins, which included victories over Utah and West Virginia in the non-conference, as well as a win over a ranked Creighton squad.

Still, it wasn’t enough for an NCAA Tournament berth.

Pitino, though, struck a more moderate tone after ripping the NET rankings.

“But you know, I never make excuses,” he said. “I respect the committee for what they do. They give their time, they give their energy to it. They didn’t think that we measured up to their standards and we’ll take it very positively like men and move forward. We’re not going to gripe, we’re not going to say we got screwed. None of that helps. Bitterness does not help. I’ve had enough bitterness in my life to last a lifetime.”