It has been more than thirty years since Lou Carnesecca last stood on the sidelines of the St. John’s Red Stormbut his presence remains palpable.
“Looie” died last week at the age of 99, prompting many tributes in the college basketball world as well as the tri-state area.
But the St. John’s legend is still fresh in the minds of many, including current head coach Rick Pitino.
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St. John’s Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino wears a jersey honoring the late Lou Carnesecca against the Kansas State Wildcats at Carnesecca Arena. (Wendell Cruz-Imagn images)
During Jonnies’ game against Kansas State on Saturday, Carnesecca wore a replica of a vintage jersey that Carnesecca made famous during his time at the school. It is the school’s first game since his death.
The game was played in the arena that bears Carnesecca’s name – the arena opened in 1961 and was named after the Hall of Fame coach in 2004.
Carnesecca coached St. John’s for 24 seasons, split between two stints. He led the team to 18 seasons in which the team won at least 20 games and 18 NCAA Tournament appearances. His teams produced star players like Chris Mullin, Bill Wennington, Mark Jackson and Walter Berry.
FILE – Lou Carnesecca coaches his St. John’s team from the sidelines during their game against Niagara in New York on November 23, 1991. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)
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St. John’s won the NIT Championship in 1989, and Carnesecca was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992 – the year he retired from the sport.
Carnesecca took over for Joe Lapchick before the start of the 1965-66 season. He became head coach of the New York Nets from the American Basketball Association in 1970 and later returned to the team, then known as the Redmen, replacing Frank Mulzoff.
His best team was the 1984-85 squad led by Mullin, Berry, Jackson and Wennington. They posted 31 wins and were 15-1 in the Big East, reaching the Final Four before losing to the Patrick Ewing-led Georgetown Hoyas.
FILE – St. John’s coach Lou Carnesecca is carried by his team after Redman defeated Boston College in the Big East Championship at Madison Square Garden in New York, March 12, 1983. (AP Photo/G. Paul Burnett, file)
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Carnesecca was 526-200 in his coaching career. He was a three-time Big East Coach of the Year and a two-time US Basketball Writers Association Coach of the Year.
Ryan Gaydos of Fox News and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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