College Basketball

Pitino Chronicles, Episode 2: The history of the Big East Conference

Updated Dec. 21, 2023 12:18 p.m. ET

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John Fanta

College Basketball Broadcaster and Reporter

Editor's note: FOX Sports is publishing an exclusive interview series with Rick Pitino throughout this college basketball season, highlighting the Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer and the sport's active winningest head coach as he takes over at St. John's. In the second episode of our five-part series titled "The Pitino Chronicles," we're focusing on the history of the Big East Conference, started by the legendary Dave Gavitt in 1979. Watch Episode 2 below, or catch up with Episode 1 here. 

Rick Pitino's first major moment as a head coach occurred in the Big East when he led a Providence team that featured Billy "The Kid" Donovan and Delray Brooks on an incredible Final Four run. In this interview, he reveals the story of family tragedy that he and his wife, Joanne, were dealing with during that time, and how Friars basketball provided a beacon of hope. 

Pitino also speaks about being one of the younger coaches in the Big East in the mid-1980s, and what it was like being in a conference with some of the sport's greatest titans, from John Thompson to Jim Boeheim to Rollie Massimino. 

"I was the new kid on the block," Pitino says.

The majority of Pitino's time in the Big East came at Louisville, where he was the Cardinals' head coach from 2001-17. He led Louisville to Big East Tournament titles at Madison Square Garden in 2009, 2012 and 2013, with regular-season championships in 2009 and 2013. His record in Big East games was an eye-popping 112-60. 

Now, Pitino's sole mindset is to resurrect a St.John's program that is off to an 8-3 start this season after a win over Xavier to open Big East play on Wednesday night. Up next for the Red Storm is a FOX Primetime Hoops showdown with No. 5 UConn at 8 p.m. ET Saturday night in Hartford, Connecticut (watch on FOX and the FOX Sports app).

Pitino's hope is to get the Johnnies back to the golden age of Lou Carnesecca, who led the school to the Final Four in 1985, when three Big East teams reached the national semifinals (Villanova, Georgetown).  Pitino reveals epic stories about the 98-year-old Carnesecca, who still attends practices and games, and often talks with the St. John's head coach about the program.

"Lou had something most coaches do not have," Pitino said. "He has an incredible dose of humility. … His humility separated him from most coaches." 

Pitino also expands upon letting go of the bitterness he had toward Louisville after the school fired him in 2017 following the program being implicated in a federal bribery and fraud investigation. He details his Christmas Eve trip to Greece to take the Panathinaikos job, leading the most successful basketball club in the nation's history for two years. That chapter allowed him a coaching retreat, and one that would lead him back to the college game at Iona, before getting this opportunity at St. John's. 

Watch Episode 2 of "The Pitino Chronicles" below and follow along at FOXSports.com and on social media, @CBBonFOX, for details on the upcoming release of Episode 3 of the five-part series.

Pitino Chronicles, Episode 2: Rick Pitino on Providence and the Big East Conference

John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him on Twitter @John_Fanta.

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John Fanta