Rick Pitino is associated with quite a lot of history in the Men's NCAA Tournament.

The St. John's basketball coach has brought a team to the Sweet 16 for the 14th time in his Hall of Fame career, and has the highest all-time winning percentage among Division I coaches who have at least six trips to the regional semifinals of March Madness (92.3%, on a 12-1 record).

REQUIRED READING: Rick Pitino is back in Sweet 16: Examining St. John's coach's secret sauce to success

But as No. 5 St. John's prepares to take on No. 1 Duke in the Sweet 16 inside Washington D.C.'s Capital One Arena, one chapter of Pitino's March Madness history — from his time at Kentucky — has resurfaced: Christian Laettner's game-winning shot against the Wildcats to send the Blue Devils to the 1992 Final Four.

The Christian Laettner shot.

Forever iconic 🔥 @DukeMBBpic.twitter.com/KPT3Va78Ml

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 5, 2023

Laettner's turnaround jumper, which came at the end of a perfect full-court pass from Grant Hill on the baseline, is widely regarded as one of the all-time March Madness moments in the tournament's history. And the memory of that play still stings for Pitino, even when he's least expecting it.

"I'm not big into watching 'Yellowstone' and shows like that on the iPad, but everybody is convincing me to watch this 'Paradise' (show). I was so sick of commercials with Christian Laettner hitting that shot over and over and over," Pitino said after St. John's win over Kansas. "So, OK, I'll watch 'Paradise.'"

Little did the Hall of Fame coach know that the show references Laettner in an episode.

"That's cruel. Why would my staff and friends tell me to watch (that)?" Pitino said.

REQUIRED READING: What teams are left in March Madness? Men's NCAA Tournament bracket updates

Curiously, the Duke-Pitino storyline was made possible because of a game-winning buzzer beater from one of Pitino's own players, Dylan Darling, against the Jayhawks.

Now, Pitino's hoping they can replicate that against Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils — getting back at Duke for putting him on the receiving end of one of the most seminal moments in March Madness history.

"I'm hoping we can get Duke at the buzzer next to make up for that Christian Laettner shot," Pitino said.

“You win some, you lose some. I’m hoping we get Duke at the buzzer next to make up for that Christian Laettner shot.” 😂

Rick Pitino on being on the wrong sides of buzzer beaters in the past. Also mentions the show Paradise 😂 pic.twitter.com/uG5049gZog

— Karter Baughan (@karterb8) March 23, 2026

Friday's game won't be the first time Pitino has coached against Duke in the Men's NCAA Tournament since Laettner's shot. The two met in the 2013 Midwest Regional Elite Eight, with Pitino's Louisville Cardinals team defeating the Blue Devils en route to an NCAA championship.

REQUIRED READING: Who's in Elite 8? Updated March Madness bracket, NCAA Tournament schedule

Asked whether that Elite Eight win — followed by his second national championship ring — tempered his memories of Laettner's shot during his media availability in D.C. on Thursday, Pitino said he treasures that 1992 game.

"I treasure that game in so many ways. Not the loss, but the way the game was played," Pitino said. "Give all the credit in the world (to Duke). I can't escape Grant Hill, who has done seven games for me this season (on TV)."

Pitino won't be able to escape Hill on Friday either, as he'll be calling the St. John's vs. Duke Sweet 16 game on CBS alongside Ian Eagle, Bill Raftery and Tracy Wolfson. So, you can almost bet on Hill and Co. bringing up "The Shot" a time or two on the broadcast.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rick Pitino revisits Christian Laettner shot as St. John's takes on Duke