Why Rick Pitino was at NCAA Tournament in Memphis after St. John's March Madness snub
St. John's basketball coach Rick Pitino isn't coaching in the NCAA Tournament, but that doesn't mean he's not getting a March Madness experience firsthand.
Pitino was at FedExForum for New Mexico's NCAA Tournament first-round game against Clemson on Friday afternoon in Memphis. The No. 11-seed Lobos are coached by Pitino's son, Richard Pitino.
Rick Pitino's Red Storm team narrowly missed out on an at-large berth to March Madness, and many fans and media members considered St. John's one of the key snubs from the bracket. St. John's elected not to play in the NIT, so Pitino was able to watch his son coach in Memphis.
The St. John's coach wasn't the only notable figure in college athletics in Memphis on Friday. Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark and ACC commissioner Jim Phillips were both in the building at FedExForum. There are two Big 12 teams — Baylor and Houston — and one ACC team — Clemson — playing in Memphis for the first round of the tournament.
Phillips spent most of halftime having a conversation with Memphis athletic director Laird Veatch in the tunnel at FedExForum.
Tigers officials have not been shy about trying to position Memphis to jump into another athletic conference. The Tigers currently play in the American Athletic Conference.
Baylor easily defeated Colgate in the opening game of the day.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Rick Pitino: St. John's coach at March Madness in Memphis
