NEW YORK, NY — The No. 6 ranked St. John’s Red Storm took over Rockefeller Center Thursday night by appearing on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” NBC’s award-winning late-night talk show.
With the program successfully clinching its first outright Big East regular season title since 1984-1985 last Saturday following a 71-61 victory over Seton Hall at Madison Square Garden — No. 6 St. John’s, currently 26-4 overall and 17-2 in Big East Conference play — has continued to receive national publicity and recognition.
To begin Thursday evening’s newest episode of the longest-running television talk show and No. 1 late-night program on digital, available on NBC/Peacock, the St. John’s men’s basketball team made a cold open that featured each player singing and bumping their chests along to a ‘Red Storm Sea Shanty’ — a parody of the folk song, “Soon May the Wellerman Come.”
Towards the conclusion of the opening skit, St. John’s head coach Rick Pitino, 72, appearing dressed in his famous all white suit, sang along to the parody track as Jimmy Fallon joined in moments later while matching in all white.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Pitino. “He (Jimmy Fallon) treated everybody great. He’s a real, down-to-earth person, and he was just a great host.”
He later added, “I told the team, ‘You know, I’ve been to seven Final Fours, won two national championships as a coach, and we never went on the Tonight Show. So, you’re very lucky because you’re in the greatest city in the world, and that’s why you’re on, on that show, and you’re in a great conference, the best city in the world, you play at the best arena, the World’s Most Famous Arena, as your home court.’”
The home court of the St. John’s Red Storm, Madison Square Garden – Image Credit: Robert Rizzo/Latino Sports
What’s Next?
To close out its regular season campaign before the Big East Tournament starts up next week at Madison Square Garden, the No. 6 Red Storm (26-4, 17-2) will visit No. 20 Marquette (22-8, 13-6) this coming Saturday, March 8th, with tip scheduled for 12:00 PM ET on FOX.
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