Legendary school basketball coach Rick Pitino has coached Iona for 3 seasons.
A fourth is up within the air.
Head coach Rick Pitino of the Iona Gaels appears on throughout the first half towards the Connecticut Huskies throughout the first spherical of the 2022 NCAA Males’s Basketball Event held at MVP Area on March 17, 2023, in Albany, New York. (C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Pictures through Getty Photos)
Following Iona’s 87-63 loss to the UConn Huskies on Friday, Pitino was requested whether or not the first-round loss was his final as head coach of the Gaels.
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“I actually do not have a solution to it, to be sincere with you,” Pitino mentioned. “I don’t know whether it is or is not, as a result of I’ve targeted every little thing on this recreation, making an attempt to develop a plan to beat Connecticut.”
Pitino has been rumored to be the popular candidate for the pinnacle teaching place at St. John’s, a faculty simply 20 miles away from Iona.
Head coach Rick Pitino of the Iona Gaels reacts within the second half towards the Connecticut Huskies throughout the first spherical of the NCAA Males’s Basketball Event at MVP Area on March 17, 2023, in Albany, New York. (Rob Carr/Getty Photos)
“I actually have not put any thought into it in any respect,” Pitino mentioned when requested whether or not he had a timeline for making a call on his future. “I hear the query from you, and I feel if you begin pondering forward, you all the time fail.
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“We put lots of effort into this recreation. I do not know. I do not know if it is proper for me, one other job. I do not know that. It is one thing, like I mentioned earlier than, I do know you are all alluding to St. John’s, however I’ve by no means seen St. John’s. Someone despatched me a clip.”
St. John’s fired head coach Mike Anderson final week after 4 seasons and failing to get the Crimson Storm to the NCAA Event.
“After totally evaluating the boys’s basketball program, our College has determined a change is required in each the management and path of St. John’s Basketball,” athletic director Mike Cragg mentioned in a press release, in keeping with ESPN. “We want Coach Mike Anderson and his household one of the best of their future.”
Head coach Rick Pitino of the Iona Gaels appears on within the first half towards the Connecticut Huskies throughout the first spherical of the NCAA Males’s Basketball Event at MVP Area on March 17, 2023, in Albany, New York. (Rob Carr/Getty Photos)
Pitino’s Gaels went 27-8 earlier than falling to UConn within the match and put collectively an excellent first-half effort towards the Huskies.
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Iona took a 39-37 lead into halftime earlier than being outscored by 26 within the second half.
“I assumed we had a legit probability of beating them going into the sport, however we got here out within the second half, they usually simply dominated us,” Pitino mentioned. “In order that they deserve all of the congratulations.”
