St. John’s isn’t forgetting what got them here on eve of March Madness

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rick Pitino has been drilling the requisite mentality into the hearts and minds of his St. John’s players for more than a month now: 

Play this game as if it’s the last game you are going to play. 

Because when March Madness begins at 9:45 Thursday night inside Amica Mutual Pavilion in a West Region opener against 15th-seeded Omaha, there is always a danger that the first game could indeed be the last game of what has been an historic season. 

Don’t be an unsuspecting victim of March Madness.