St. John’s held off Xavier for an 87-82 win Monday night at Madison Square Garden, a result that also carried historic significance for its head coach.
Rick Pitino earned his 904th career victory on the court, passing Roy Williams to move into third place on the Division I men’s basketball wins list. Only Mike Krzyzewski and Jim Boeheim remain ahead of him in the all-time standings.
A milestone night at MSG
The win came in a close finish, with St. John’s doing enough late to outlast Xavier in a five-point decision. The Madison Square Garden setting provided the backdrop as Pitino climbed another rung on the sport’s coaching ladder.
With the milestone, Pitino now stands alone in third in Division I history for on-court wins, further cementing his place among the game’s most accomplished coaches.