Fading St. John's 'can't guard anybody,' Rick Pitino says - ESPN

Following St. John's eighth loss in its past 10 games, coach Rick Pitino lamented his team's lack of toughness and athleticism, saying «this has been the most unenjoyable experience I've had since I've been coaching.»

The Red Storm blew a 19-point lead to lose 68-62 to tristate rival and fellow bubble team Seton Hall on Sunday night, falling to 14-12 overall and 6-9 in the Big East, which places them in ninth place. With five games left in the regular season before the Big East tournament, St. John's likely needs to run the table the rest of the way before advancing in the conference tournament to have a chance to receive an NCAA tournament bid.

Pitino, the Hall of Fame coach in his first season with the Red Storm, didn't hold back after the game.

«If I said I was disappointed, that would be the understatement of the year,» he said. «Our lateral quickness and our toughness is just something I've never witnessed in all my years of coaching.

»We are so nonathletic that we can't guard anybody without fouling.… And really it's not about losing. Even winning, when I watch the film, I see unathletic plays, I see people that don't handle the ball, that are just interested in taking quick shots. It's been a disappointing year."

St. John's scored just four points in the first 12 minutes of the second half, watching a 12-point halftime lead disappear without much resistance. It was the latest in a string of blown leads in recent weeks for the Red Storm, who suffered a three-point lead to Providence on Tuesday after leading at halftime, and blew a 15-point lead against Marquette last weekend.

«I think the other team makes adjustments and we have to make adjustments to move the basketball and take good shots. But we just lack