Mike ReissMar 21, 2025, 08:09 PM ET
CloseMike Reiss is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the New England Patriots. Reiss has covered the Patriots since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2009. In 2019, he was named Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association.Open Extended Reactions
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rick Pitino vs. John Calipari, Round 5. It’s on.
The two decorated, animated coaches will be center stage when Pitino leads No. 2 seed St. John’s against Calipari and No. 10 Arkansas in the second round of the men’s NCAA basketball tournament Saturday at Amica Mutual Pavilion.
Mutual respect? Absolutely.
A friendship? Not so fast.
“I certainly have great respect for him, but we’re not really close. Everybody tried to talk that way,” Pitino said Friday, the day after St. John’s overcame early jitters against No. 15 seed Omaha before pulling away with a dominant second half to win by 30 and set up the matchup with Arkansas.
“I don’t know a whole lot about him except he’s a terrific basketball coach. At a very young age, I knew him really well … but years have gone by and I don’t think we have been to dinner one time in our lifetime.”
But they’ve