In a move that has shocked fans and analysts alike, Mark Pope, head coach of the BYU Cougars, has reportedly been desperate to schedule a home-and-home series with none other than Rick Pitino and his St. John’s team. This ambitious request comes at a time when Pope’s program is searching for a way to boost its national profile and prove it can compete at the highest levels of college basketball.
Sources close to the situation have revealed that Pope has been actively pursuing the matchup, which would see BYU face off against St. John’s on both teams’ home courts over the course of two seasons. The idea behind the series seems simple: a high-profile game against a legendary coach and a program like St. John’s would provide the Cougars with a rare opportunity to test their mettle against one of the powerhouses of college basketball.
But Pope’s request is also seen as a desperate attempt to elevate the status of BYU basketball. The Cougars have had some success in recent years, but they’ve never been able to consistently break through on the national stage in the same way that other programs have. Scheduling a marquee series with a program that carries the weight of Pitino’s reputation would certainly bring attention to BYU, and Pope knows it.
However, the situation isn’t as straightforward as it might seem. Rick Pitino, one of the most successful and controversial coaches in NCAA history, has made waves at St. John’s since his arrival, but whether he’ll be willing to schedule such a high-profile non-conference series is unclear. Pitino has been known for his cautious approach to scheduling, often favoring matchups that will benefit his program’s postseason chances, rather than risking a high-profile loss.
For BYU, a home-and-home with St. John’s could be a double-edged sword. A strong performance would elevate the program’s credibility, but a couple of losses could undermine Pope’s ambitions for a stronger national reputation. Still, it’s clear that Mark Pope is eager to push for this opportunity, showing just how far he’s willing to go to make BYU a true contender in the national conversation. Whether or not Pitino and St. John’s are on board remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: Pope is not going to back down easily.
