Lou Carnesecca, Hall of Fame St. John’s coach, dies at 99

Legendary St. John’s manager Lou Carnesecca died astatine 99 connected Saturday, conscionable a fewer weeks shy of his 100th birthday.

St. John’s said the schoolhouse was notified by a household subordinate that Carnesecca died successful a hospital, surrounded by loved ones. The assemblage said the Hall of Fame manager “endeared himself to generations of New Yorkers with his wit and warmth.”

Carnesecca coached St. John’s for 24 seasons implicit 2 stints — making the postseason tourney each twelvemonth — and became the look of the schoolhouse located successful Queens. The field arena was named aft him and the assemblage unveiled a statue of him earlier the 2021-22 season. When asked erstwhile successful a question-and-answer league with the schoolhouse to picture St. John’s, Carnesecca said: “home.”

It was location wherever helium coached St. John’s to 18 seasons of astatine slightest 20 wins, and 18 NCAA Tournament appearances. It was location wherever helium finished with a 526-200 grounds and had 30-win seasons successful 1985 and 1986. And it was location wherever St. John’s became a charter subordinate of the Big East Conference and a pillar of its success.

He was the manager of the twelvemonth 3 times successful a league that began play successful 1979 and rapidly asserted itself arsenic 1 of the nation’s best. Among his prima players during those aboriginal Big East years were Chris Mullin, Mark Jackson and Walter Berry.

Carnesecca coached St. John’s to its 5th NIT rubric successful 1989, though by past the tourney had agelong been a mediocre relative to the NCAAs. He entered the Basketball Hall of Fame successful 1992, the twelvemonth helium retired.

“I ne'er scored a basket,” helium said astatine his induction. “The players did everything. Without players, you can’t person a game.”

Under Carnesecca, St. John’s won Big East Tournament titles successful 1983 and 1986. His teams reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament successful 1979 and 1991. And his squad spent much than 70 weeks ranked successful the apical 10 of the AP Top 25. A banner denoting his 526 wins astatine St. John’s hangs from the rafters astatine Madison Square Garden, the world’s astir celebrated arena.

He coached much than 40 NBA draught picks, including 11 hoopers who were selected arsenic first-rounders.

“I don’t cognize if there’s anybody other successful coaching similar him,” longtime UConn manager Jim Calhoun erstwhile told the Hartford Courant. “Even if radical hatred the Big East cipher hates Looie. If you similar basketball, you similar Looie. If you similar kids, you similar Looie.”

St. John’s said Carnesecca leaves down his woman of 73 years, Mary, arsenic good arsenic girl Enes and son-in-law Gerard, a granddaughter, and a niece and nephew successful summation to extended family.

With News Wire Service