Rick Pitino made a name for himself by taking the Providence College Friars to the Final Four in 1987. Almost 40 years later, he's back in the Big East

St. John’s will begin its tournament journey in Providence, where Rick Pitino’s unparalleled coaching career made its drastic ascent decades ago.

Rick Pitino is one step closer to college basketball’s top national coaching honor. The St. John’s coach was named one of four finalists for Naismith Coach of the Year, joining Auburn’s Bruce Pearl, Houston’s Kelvin Sampson and Duke’s John Scheyer.