Pitino to St. John's Star: You'll Force Me to Retire?! Stunned Reaction!

Rick Pitino, the legendary coach of St. John's, was practically glowing after his team's stunning 81-72 upset victory over No. 3 UConn Friday night. The atmosphere at Madison Square Garden was electric, a true Big East battle, and the Red Storm certainly delivered. But it wasn't just the win that had Pitino beaming; it was the performance of one particular player: Zuby Ejiofor.

Pitino to St. John's Star: You'll Force Me to Reti...

During the postgame press conference, Pitino, never one to shy away from a bit of hyperbole, turned to Ejiofor and quipped, "You know you're going to make me retire? Because I'm not living life without you." Now, whether Pitino *actually* means he's ready to hang up his whistle because of one player, well, that's debatable. But it speaks volumes about the impact Ejiofor had on the game and the coach's clear admiration for the young star.

And rightfully so. Ejiofor absolutely dominated. He racked up a stat line that looks like something out of a video game: 21 points, 10 rebounds, a whopping seven assists, three blocks, and two steals. He was efficient, too, shooting 6-for-10 from the field and a solid 8-for-10 from the free-throw line, even knocking down a three-pointer. Dillon Mitchell chipped in with 15 points and six rebounds, and Bryce Hopkins added 14 points and six boards to round out the scoring. But make no mistake, this was Ejiofor's night.

The victory was huge for St. John's, propelling them to an impressive 18-5 overall record and an 11-1 mark in Big East play. What's more, it marked Pitino's 903rd career win, tying him with the late, great Roy Williams for third place in all-time wins by a men's college basketball head coach. Pretty heady stuff. You could sense the excitement and optimism in the room after the game; St. John's feels like a team on the rise.

Even after the press conference, the coach couldn’t resist a little playful ribbing. As Ejiofor and Mitchell were leaving, Pitino playfully reminded them of their "5 a.m." curfew. It was a lighthearted moment, a reminder that even amidst the pressure of big-time college basketball, there's still room for camaraderie and a bit of fun.

Ejiofor, now in his third season with the Red Storm after transferring from Kansas, is having a fantastic year, averaging 15.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, two blocks, and 1.2 steals per game. He's a force on both ends of the court, and it's easy to see why Pitino is so high on him. The Red Storm aren't resting on their laurels, though. They're back in action on Monday, Feb. 9, facing Xavier at home. You can catch the game on FS1 and the FOX Sports app. If Ejiofor plays anything like he did against UConn, it's sure to be another exciting night for St. John's fans.