Reports indicating that the NCAA Tournament will be expanded from 68 teams to 76 have made headlines, with college hoop fans and experts weighing in on the possibility.
For St. John’s men’s basketball head coach Rick Pitino, the expansion was a welcome idea. He thinks it would lead to more television exposure for basketball, which would allow it to compete with football.
Rick Pitino Backs NCAA Tournament Expansion
“I am because I don’t think it hurts it. I don’t think it hurts it,” Pitino said during the Pardon My Take podcast posted on YouTube on Feb. 21.
“I think it — getting more teams is exciting. It’s the one thing — So when I was your age, back in the day, starting out as a head coach. Back then, college basketball and college football were on the same level. The NBA and the NFL were on the same level. Like, 30, 40 years ago. Today, a bad college football game — Ohio U playing somebody on a Saturday, will out-draw an NBA playoff game.
“Now, is that gambling? Is football just marketed so much? I don’t know. But the one thing we do have is March Madness. So, anything to make it better — if it’s not broken, break it and make it better. And I don’t think it hurts anything to have more TV exposure.”
Meanwhile, ESPN’s Pete Thamel emphasized that nothing has been finalized yet, meaning that only 68 teams are allowed to play in the tournament for now. However, there are reports that eight teams will be added to the tournament, which will take effect in 2026.
Rick Pitino Declares St. John’s Will Be His Last College Basketball Coaching Job
Pitino started his collegiate basketball career in New York and hopes to end it in the city as well. St. John’s has enjoyed its first stellar season in decades, going 23-4 overall and topping the Big East under coach Pitino this season.
However, the Naismith Hall of Famer has declared that the Red Storm will be his final destination as far as collegiate basketball coaching is concerned.
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“I will not take any other college job, I can assure you of that,” he said to NY Post’s Zach Braziller on Friday, Feb. 21. “It’s St. John’s, retirement, Euro league, Miami, not University.”
Pitino’s revelation came amid reports linking him to Indiana after Mike Woodson reportedly stepped down as the Hoosiers head coach after four years. However, Pitino dismissed the reports, saying he had not been contacted for the job and he was not interested. He also endorsed Chris Beard, the current head coach of Ole Miss.
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