Rick Pitino and St. John’s kept up with No. 1 Duke for almost the entire game. The two teams went blow for blow, trading shots every minute with the lead changing hands multiple times throughout the game. The Storm led 44% of the time, while Duke was ahead 45%. In the end, that 1% made all the difference as Duke edged St. John’s 80-75. However, Pitino had a qualm away from the court as he pointed out a major NCAA blunder after the game. 

“One suggestion for the NCAA is when you have interviews on the court for Duke, for the winning team, and they have time there—the game started before we even came in here—is to have the losing team go first,” Pitino told the media. 

Pitino was probably referring to the clash between UConn and Michigan State, which was set to occur after their game. That game started a bit later due to the end of the first game. Duke went first in their post-game conference, which lasted more than 15 minutes. For Pitino, that is too much waiting after losing the most important game of the season. 

“You left us disappointed in the locker room while the other team is celebrating, rightfully so,” Pitino said. “You should let the losing team go first and then let the winning team have as long as you want. Just a suggestion. Because you just left us hanging out there for over a half hour.”

Yet, a look at the NCAA’s stated procedures suggests that what unfolded with Pitino may not align with standard protocol. “The losing coach and student-athletes shall be scheduled in the interview room before the winning coach and student-athletes, except for at the First Four,” the Interview policies document states. 

It comes after a 10 minute cooling-off period, which is reduced  to five minutes for the winning coach after the regional finals and the national championship game. After it ends, the coaches and players must report to the media room. According to the document, a coach may shorten the cooling-off period but may not extend it. So Pitino could have faced the media almost immediately after cooling down with the team. 

And this protocol makes sense. The winning team wants to celebrate in the locker room while the losing team wants to get out of there as soon as possible. It’s unknown why the standard procedure was not followed here, as it was not a first-four game. Beyond the post-game frustration, St. John’s had already been left to confront the finer margins of the game itself.

Rick Pitino’s ‘Power’ Play Falls Short as Darling’s Final Shot Misses

Dylan Darling was named “Church Bells” after his miraculous game winner in the second round. After going scoreless for the majority of the game against Kansas, he drew a play for himself. With 3.9 seconds left, the score tied, and a chance to exorcise every demon, Dylan Darling told his coach, “Let’s run ‘Power.’” Darling caught the ball at the half court and breezed past his defender to get to the rim for the winner. 

This time, it was 8.1 seconds on the clock with the score reading 75-78 for Duke. Darling brought the ball up and his three just brushed the rim. “We were trying to set a screen, a high screen, and get them to help,” coach Rick Pitino said after the heartbreaking 80-75 loss to No. 1 Duke at Capital One Arena. “They’d probably leave Zuby [Ejiofor] alone. And if we didn’t have that, we would go down the lane and find the corners. We didn’t necessarily want that shot, but that’s OK.”

Darling himself admitted that it was not the play they had planned for. “Coach drew up ‘Power’ again,” Darling said. “We were down three. I guess it was a little bit of a miscommunication on what type of shot we wanted. That’s the shot we ended up with. … I would have to watch it back. In the moment, I thought it was a decent look if we were trying to get a 3.”

Ultimately, it’s not one play that sent the Johnnies packing. Duke outrebounded them 40-27. They let Duke shoot 54% from the field while going 45% themselves. Another major differential was the trips to the foul line. The Blue Devils got 24 free throws while St. John’s got only 8. For Rick Pitino, the night ended with both a tactical regret and a postgame grievance, neither of which will fade quickly.