St. John's got its newest hero following Sunday night's Second round win. But the victory didn't come that easily as their guard Dylan Darling managed to score a buzzer-beater in the final seconds. But Rick Pitino and his men continued to trend even after their press conference, courtesy of a funny exchange.
Darling secured one of the most dramatic finishes of this year's March Madness. As time ran out, he made just enough room, got up, and banged down the shot. The buzzer beater marked the end of the road for Bill Self and Kansas . Following the game, a reporter asked Darling if the dramatic finish was the first buzzer-beater of his career.
He replied by saying, "This my first one in college". Pitino quickly interrupted Dylan with a grin. "What did you do it in the NBA ?", the Hall of Fame coach joked. Darling laughed before clarifying, "I'm saying I played in high school and middle school, Coach."
The moment went viral on social media with more than 1 million views. Some fans were also upset with Pitino's comment about his 6-foot-1 guard, citing he may have ruined Darling's big day. Nonetheless, dramatic postseason moments are nothing new to Pitino.
The veteran coach has built one of the most decorated tournament resumes in college basketball history. He became the first coach to win national titles at two separate institutions when he led Kentucky to the championship in 1996 and then Louisville to the title in 2013. His teams have made numerous deep March drives and several Final Four runs over the years.
Pitino seems to be creating another tournament narrative at St. John's. And if Darling's buzzer-beater is any guide, the Red Storm might have discovered the kind of March magic that propels historic victories.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Basketball section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
