Lou Carnesecca, Hall of Famer who led St. John's, dies at 99 - ESPN

Hall of Fame college basketball coach Lou Carnesecca, who won more than 500 games and led St. John's to three Big East titles and a 1985 Final Four appearance, died Saturday at the age of 99.

The university said it was notified by a family member that Carnesecca died in a hospital surrounded by his family, just a handful of weeks shy of his 100th birthday. It said Carnesecca «endeared himself to generations of New Yorkers with his wit and warmth.»

Carnesecca was a treasured figure in New York sports in his day, affection for «Looie» never wavering in a city with little patience for its players, coaches, executives and owners.

He coached St. John's for 24 seasons over two stretches — making a postseason tournament each year — and became the face of a university whose campus arena in Queens would eventually carry his name. A statue of him was unveiled before the 2021-22 season. When asked once in a question-and-answer sit-down with the school to describe St. John's, Carnesecca said: «home.»

It was home where he coached St. John's to 18 20-win seasons and 18 NCAA tournament appearances. It was home where he finished with a 526-300 record and had 30-win seasons in 1985 and 1986. And it was home where St. John's became part of the foundation of the Big East.

He was the coach of the year three times in a league that began in 1979 and quickly asserted itself as one of the nation's best. Among his players during those early Big East years were Chris Mullin, Mark Jackson and Walter Berry.

Jackson called him a «Game Changer» as part of a social media post Saturday night.

My Coach!
Praying for your Family! What a Life! What a Game Changer! Thank you for Everything!
I Love You! I'm 4ever Grateful!<a