Chris Holtmann paid homage to the late Lou Carnesecca by wearing a colorful sweater for DePaul’s 89-61 loss to St. John’s Tuesday night in Queens.
“When you’re my age — I’m in my early 50s — there’s a group of coaches you kind of grow up watching, admiring, having great respect for. Following their teammates, following the leagues,” Holtmann said. “I remember watching him. I grew up in Kentucky. I remember watching him wear the sweaters. I remember the iconic moment when he wore the sweater and [Georgetown coach] John Thompson came out with the jacket and opened [it to show a sweater].
“He had a profound impact on the game and this university. We wanted to pay our respects.”
Holtmann said one of DePaul’s staffers found it at a thrift store and ordered the sweater, which actually was the same brand as the sweaters Carnesecca made famous.
“It definitely had been worn a few times before I wore it,” Holtmann said.
For the first time this year, St. John’s freshman center Khaman Maker appeared in a game. Rick Pitino said the plan was never for the 7-foot-1 big man from South Sudan to redshirt.
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“I think redshirting guys is a waste of time, because you get four years, and you got to develop players,” the Hall of Fame coach said. “I don’t think he benefits [by it]. By next year, he’s got to put on 20 pounds of muscle and be ready to play. I think getting him in spots, learning how to play is a good thing, and he did a good job tonight.”
A four-star prospect, Maker played high school ball at SFBA Trinity Prep in Las Vegas, where he was known for his defensive ability as a rim-protecting center. He appeared in the final three minutes of the win on Tuesday.
