Things just keep going up for the Pitinos.
Following New Mexico’s upset victory over Marquette, the Pitinos became the first father-son duo to each win an NCAA Tournament game in the same year.
The No. 10 Lobos, with Richard Pitino at the helm, beat the No. 7 Golden Eagles, 75-66, on Friday, moving on to the second round of March Madness.
New Mexico’s victory comes just one day after Rick Pitino’s St. John’s squad bested Omaha in a comeback win.
Richard has followed his father’s footsteps when it comes to coaching college basketball, being a member of various coaching staffs over the past two decades.
Prior to taking over at New Mexico in 2021, Richard served as head coach at the University of Minnesota for eight seasons, leading the team to two NCAA Tournament appearances and a NIT Championship in 2013.
Despite there being a number of successful father-son coaching duos throughout NCAA history, none have led their respective teams to tournament wins in the same season.
In addition, the Pitino family is currently the only father-son duo coaching in the NCAA.
The Lobos are set to face off against No. 2-seed Michigan State on Sunday, and St. John’s will be clashing against Arkansas, led by John Calipari, on Saturday.
The elder Pitino is a longtime coaching rival of Calipari, with the two battling it out on multiple occasions during March Madness.
Calipari bested Rick during their last NCAA Tournament matchup when Kentucky emerged victorious over Louisville in the 2014 Sweet 16.
“I certainly have great respect for him, but we’re not really close,” Rick told The Post. “It was just a Kentucky-Louisville and Louisville-Memphis thing. We don’t know each other’s wives or children.
“We’re not really close friends. … At a very young age I knew him well when he was in Coraopolis [Pa.] playing in Moon Township. … I don’t think we have been to dinner one time in our lifetime. We’re both Italian, we both love the game.”
Credit: Source link
