BY ADAM ZAGORIA
Rick Pitino led Providence College to the Final Four in 1987.
Now the Hall of Fame St. John’s coach believes the Friar faithful have “lost objectivity” after they taunted Bryce Hopkins with profanity and witnessed a brawl triggered by a flagrant foul by a Providence player.
“I think the crowd lost objectivity of what they’re here for,” Pitino said after the No. 17 Red Storm won their 11th straight game, 79-69, at Amica Mutual Pavilion. “If they’re just here to poke fun at Bryce Hopkins and not get a win for the Friars, that’s not the Friars I remember in [1987].
“I think you’ve got to try to win. We’re really excited to get a W, because we were without a lot of players. I’m proud of our guys.”
The game featured a near-brawl triggered when Duncan Powell clotheslined Hopkins on a transition basket with 14:25 left in the second half. Powell was given a Flagrant-2 foul and ejected after both teams got involved in a melee that saw several St. John’s players leave the bench. Powell, who appeared to try to take a swing at Dillon Mitchell, will likely face a one-game suspension for fighting.
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