Rick Pitino has 'no doubt in my mind' that St. John's vs. Georgetown will become what it once was
Georgetown's Patrick Ewing, left, goes to the hoop against St. John's Chris Mullin during the first half at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 27, 1985. Credit: AP
The Big East’s greatest rivalry may be on its way to a renaissance.
For decades, even the mention of a game between St. John’s and Georgetown was enough to quicken the pulse. As both programs fell on hard times in recent years, the intensity remained, while much of the buzz around it quieted. It now has a chance to be great once again, with Rick Pitino taking over at St. John’s and Ed Cooley arriving at Georgetown after rebuilding Providence into a national name.
Pitino was asked Tuesday during Big East Media Day at the Garden whether a Red Storm-Hoyas matchup could ever be what it was at its apex and replied, “No doubt in my mind.”
“This place will be humming pretty soon,” Cooley said. “Can’t you hear it? You can hear it right now. Every seat in here will be taken.”
The matchup on Feb. 27, 1985 – No. 1 St. John’s with Chris Mullin against No. 2 Georgetown and Patrick Ewing – was the hottest ticket in New York and came to be known as the “Sweater Game.”
The Storm had won their first meeting and had gone on a 13-game win streak with St. John’s coach Lou Carnesecca donning a brown sweater with red and blue chevrons each game for luck. When the teams came out of their locker rooms, Hoyas coach John Thompson opened his suit jacket to reveal he was wearing an identical sweater. Georgetown won that game, 85-69, and again when they met in the conference tournament title game and at the Final Four in Lexington, Kentucky.
The teams haven’t reached the NCAA Tournament in the same season since 2015. The rivalry had a brief, nostalgic renewal in 2018 and 2019 when Mullin and Ewing were coaching their alma maters.
“I know Ed’s going to build that into a power, there’s not a doubt in my mind,” Pitino said. “And there’s not a doubt in my mind St. John’s is going to be a power. . . . Georgetown-St. John’s [again a big game] – I guarantee it’ll happen.
“It may take a year for the fans to get behind their product but, after one year, it'll be back,” Pitino added.
Cooley feels even more strongly about Pitino resurrecting St. John’s.
“I think Rick Pitino is probably the greatest college coach in the history of the sport," Cooley said, "the greatest in the history of the sport.”
Even other coaches know that when the St. John’s and Georgetown brands have a national spotlight, everyone in the conference benefits. As UConn coach Dan Hurley said, “Top 10, Top 20, national championship contending-Georgetown and St. John's is great for the league.”
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.
