What Rick Pitino said about his future following St. John’s season-ending loss

WASHINGTON, D. C. -- Rick Pitino ’s third season at St.

John’s ended in heartbreak. This was the 73-year-old Hall of Fame coach’s best team in his three-year tenure and they were looking to make the program’s first Elite Eight in 27 years. The Johnnies held a 10-point second-half lead on Cam Boozer and overall No.

1 seed Duke before the Blue Devils used a zone to outscore the Red Storm 35-20 down the stretch, making 14 of their final 18 field goals en route to an 80-75 victory. St. John’s AD Ed Kull and billionaire booster Mike Repole were among the disappointed fans sitting courtside.

“We felt we had to win the 3-point line in a big way to have any shot at this game, and we did,” said Pitino, whose team shot 13-of-32 from deep to Duke’s 5-of-14. “We were up ten, we could not stop bully drives, bully drives, bully drives, bully drives, four, and we could not stop it, which is a credit to them. “Our guys played with great heart.