Richard Pitino To Xavier As Father & Son Set To Battle In Big East
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO – DECEMBER 18: Head coach Rick Pitino (L) of the Iona Gaels and head coach … More
Richard Pitino will now battle his father in the Big East Conference after agreeing to take the Xavier job on Tuesday night, said a person with direct knowledge who was not authorized to speak publicly because the deal has not been finalized.
Richard Pitino is leaving New Mexico for the Big East school – replacing Sean Miller, who left for Texas – and will face his father Rick Pitino at St. John’s at least twice a year in Big East play.
The news was first reported by Jon Rothstein of CBSSports.com.
Both father and son were named Coach of the Year in their respective leagues – the Big East and Mountain West – this season.
“I know I’ll be a better coach after playing them and coaching against them,” Richard said in November before St. John’s beat New Mexico, 85-71, at Madison Square Garden. “So other than that, it’s not as weird as people think.”
With the Red Storm in control late, St. John’s students chanted, “Who’s your daddy?”
“I was a New York Yankee fan and all I could think of was Pedro Martinez,” Richard Pitino said. “Other than that, I just laughed it off.”
Richard Pitino, 42, had also been linked to the Villanova job, which remains open.
He is 242-186 for his career at FIU, Minnesota and New Mexico with four NCAA Tournament appearances and an NIT championship in 2014.
He went 88-49 in four seasons at New Mexico, and both he and his father won their first-round NCAA Tournament games.
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