Just a little over one week ago, Rick Pitino and the St. John’s Red Storm clinched their first outright Big East regular season title in 40 years. It was thus far the crowning achievement of Pitino’s two year tenure in Queens. Similarly, the Hall of Famer’s son, Richard Pitino, has resurrected a New Mexico Lobos program that had been dormant for nearly a decade following a Golden Age of sorts under former head coach Steve Alford.
New Mexico was a below .500 program from the 2014-15 season through 2020-21, going 107-108 and failing to make a single NCAA Tournament appearance. Now, under Pitino’s guidance, the Lobos clinched the Mountain West regular season title on Friday night with an 81-67 win over UNLV, and are likely on their way to a second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.
After the game, with confetti still falling from the arena rafters, Pitino spoke about his team’s championship hopes and expectations.
“That’s why we came here. I really believe that you can win championships here.”
–@UNMLoboMBB
head coach Richard Pitino pic.twitter.com/ULgG4kFv0w— CBS Sports College Basketball
(@CBSSportsCBB) March 8, 2025
“That’s why we came here. I really believe you can win championships here. We obviously did it last year,” Pitino said, referencing last season’s Mountain West Conference Tournament title. “To do it in front of one of the best fanbases in all of college basketball is really special.”
New Mexico point guard Donovan Dent, who will likely become the fifth Lobo ever to win Mountain West Player of the Year and the first since Kendall Williams in 2013, spoke after the game as well, reflecting on a promise he made to his coach before the season began.
“This team was great all season long. And to accomplish what we came to accomplish from the start of the season just feels amazing.”
Regardless of if New Mexico claims the automatic bid that comes with winning the Mountain West Conference Tournament, they have likely done enough already to be in the NCAA Tournament field when the Selection Committee reveals the bracket eight days from now. And at that point, Pitino and the Lobos will get the chance to compete for a National Title that they’ve never come within two rounds of.
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