Rick Pitino hasn’t been bringing teams to the NCAA Tournament since it began. It just seems that way.

Pitino took Boston University to the tournament in 1983, a year after CBS broadcaster Brent Musburger coined the term “March Madness.” The 73-year-old Hall of Fame coach is back again this season with No. 5 seed St. John’s (28-6), which meets No. 12 Northern Iowa (23-12) in a first-round game Friday afternoon at Viejas Arena.

In between those visits, Pitino took Providence all the way to the Final Four; made six trips with Kentucky, highlighted by the 1996 national championship; had 13 appearances with Louisville, including the 2013 crown; and two trips with Iona.

Pitino is the only coach to take six schools to the NCAA Tournament, and he’s the only one to win the title at two different schools.

“It is pretty crazy to me,” St. John’s senior forward Dillon Mitchell said. “Even now, seeing him every day, I’m, like, I’m really playing for Coach Pitino. It really is kind of crazy. … When I came on my (recruiting) visit, I was star-struck, like I was meeting a celebrity, which I pretty much was.”

Pitino’s 913 Division I victories rank fifth all-time in NCAA history, behind only Mike Krzyzewski (1,202), Jim Boeheim (1,015), Bob Huggins (935) and Jim Calhoun (920).

“Obviously, he’s as good as there is,” said Northern Iowa coach Ben Jacobson, who is facing Pitino for the first time since a 2015 NCAA Tournament game, when Pitino coached Louisville. “There’s maybe that group of coaches that they say, ‘Wow.’ “

Before getting caught up in the 900-plus wins, Jacobson said: “You could talk about how his teams, how hard they compete. You could talk about how prepared they are. You could talk about the roster build and the talent. You could talk about the camaraderie of the guys when you watch them. Attention to detail. … Man, his teams are going to do those things.”

Pitino would be among the top three had he not taken a couple of side trips to the NBA to coach the New York Knicks (1983-85, 1987-89) and Boston Celtics (1997-2001).

What words of wisdom might Pitino have for up-and-coming coaches?.

“The only thing I’d like to leave the fellow coaches: just have fun,” said Pitino, who guided the Red Storm past UConn for the Big East tournament title and automatic NCAA berth. “March Madness — I could be out of coaching next year. I really can be. You’re 73. And I want to have the greatest time of my life. I’m going to coach this game as if it’s the last game I’ll ever coach.

“Then if we’re good enough to win, it’s going to be here. If it’s next year, I’m going to coach next year as if it’s the last year I’m going to be on earth. And that’s the way I coach. But I also appreciate the blessings I’ve been given to be allowed to coach this long. Because it is a blessing.”

Pitino was the first coach to embrace the 3-pointer when it was introduced to the college game four decades ago. In fact, that fueled Providence’s 1987 run to the Final Four. That isn’t the Red Storm’s MO, though: they rank behind more than 250 teams in taking (20.8 per game) and making (6.9 per game) 3s.

They have relied on defense for success, ranking 12th on D with 94.2 points allowed per 100 possessions. The national average is 109.2 points allowed. Northern Iowa also is strong defensively, ranking 24th (98.3 points/100 possessions) in the category.

St. John’s senior forward Zuby Ejiofor (16.3 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 3.5 apg), graduate swingman Bryce Hopkins (13.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg) and senior guard Oziyah Sellers (10.7 ppg) lead an offense averaging 81.6 points a game.

They could be hard-pressed to reach that total against a Northern Iowa team bent on taking the air out of the ball. The Panthers rank 363rd out of 365 teams in tempo, with only West Virginia and Niagara averaging fewer possessions in their games.

“You try to speed them up, it never works,” Pitino said. “This team at the offensive end may send five guys back on every possession. They totally take away your fast break. You know it’s going to be a close game. You know you have to match their defensive intensity. And it comes down to possessions, the team that gets the most possessions. And you’re going to have to match them from the 3-point line, without question.”

Northern Iowa is, in fact, taking and making only one more 3-pointer a game than St. John’s. Senior guard Trey Campbell (13.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.9 apg) is the Panthers’ most dangerous shooter from outside with a team-high 67 treys. Junior swingman Leon Bond III (11.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg) and sophomore guard Will Hornseth (11.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg) also are averaging in double figures.