St. John’s Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino celebrated the Sweet 16 advancement in the presence of family. Pitino’s Red Storm pulled off one of the most dramatic wins of March Madness 2026, beating Kansas 67-65 on a buzzer-beater. Guard Dylan Darling scored his only basket on that buzzer-beater.
For the first time since 1999, St. John’s is going to the Sweet 16. As Darling’s shot went in, Pitino celebrated wildly. Darling missed all his previous four shots, but his fifth shot directly made sent the team to the Sweet 16.
Pitino, who is heading to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2015, celebrated the win with his grandkids. The Red Storm head coach took to X and posted a moment after the game with his grandkids.
“Doesn’t get any better than celebrating the win with my grandkids!” he wrote.
Rick Pitino has a large family, including 16 grandchildren. Pitino and his wife, Joanne, welcomed five children: Michael Pitino, Christopher Pitino, Richard Pitino, Ryan Pitino and Jacqueline Pitino. The couple also had another son, Daniel Pitino, who tragically died as an infant in 1987. Among 16 grandchildren, at least eight are granddaughters.
Rick Pitino Reveals Dylan Darling’s Demand For Final Possession
Dylan Darling was having a rough night. For the final possession with just 3.9 seconds remaining on the clock, the guard went up to head coach Rick Pitino and demanded to design a play that would allow him to shoot.
Pitino was fascinated with this confidence as he double checked before learning that Darling had yet to make a field goal in the game. Despite Darling’s inefficient shooting, Pitino went ahead and trusted him.
“Bells comes up to me, and says run (a play for me),” Pitino said. “So I walk away like, wait a second, he hasn’t scored a bucket and he wants to run a play for himself. And I’m thinking, but he’s Bells!”
Moments later, Darling proved Pitino right as he drove straight downhill for a strong right-handed layup at the buzzer. After the game, Darling acknowledged the support of his teammates to cover his inefficient night.
“I probably don’t deserve this, I was pretty bad all night long – but my teammates held it down tonight,” Darling said postgame.
Rick Pitino and the Red Storm now face a big task when they take on the No. 1 Duke in a Sweet 16 matchup.
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