Pitino joins elite company as Iona makes tournament
Rick Pitino ended an Iona team photo, a championship trophy as the centerpiece, by pointing toward a ladder and telling the Gaels to clip the nets.
He knows the way. From coaching perennial powers to exile to the New York suburbs, Pitino has navigated a vagabond career bathed in scandal and success the only way he can: by winning.
Asante Gist scored 18 points, and Pitino took his record-tying fifth school to the NCAA Tournament with Iona’s 60-51 victory over Fairfield on Saturday in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament championship.
Next stop, the all-Indiana NCAA Tournament.
“I told them I was packing eight suits,” Pitino said. “We have a lot of dirty laundry, and we’re heading to Indianapolis.”
The 68-year-old Pitino was already the first coach to win national titles at two schools (Kentucky, Louisville) and the first to take three schools (Providence) to the Final Four. He led Boston University to the tournament in 1983.
Pitino, who joined Lon Kruger and Tubby Smith as the only coaches to take five programs to the NCAA Tournament, was hired at Iona (12-5) last March to keep the ninth-seeded Gaels among the perennial favorites to come out of the MAAC and rehabilitate his image after an ignominious end at Louisville.
This will be the Gaels’ fifth straight NCAA Tournament.
NO. 3 ILLINOIS 82, NO. 5 IOWA 71 >> Kofi Cockburn scored 18 of his 26 points in the first half, and the Fighting Illini (22-6) beat the Hawkeyes (21-7) to advance to the Big Ten Tournament title game.
Illinois has won six straight — three against top-10 foes — and faces No. 9 Ohio State in the final, looking for its first tourney title since 2005.
NO. 9 OHIO STATE 68, NO. 4 MICHIGAN 67 >> Duane Washington Jr. scored 24 points as the Buckeyes (21-8) held off the Wolverines (20-4) to reach the Big Ten Tournament title game. Ohio State will be playing its fourth game in four days when it meets No. 3 Illinois in the final today.
NO. 6 ALABAMA 73, TENNESSEE 68 >> Herbert Jones had 21 points, 13 rebounds and four assists, helping the Crimson Tide (23-6) rally for a victory over the Volunteers 21, leading the Longhorns (19-7) over the Cowboys (208) for their Big 12 Tournament title.
GEORGETOWN 73, NO. 17 CREIGHTON 48 >> Patrick Ewing is taking Georgetown back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015 after the eighth-seeded Hoyas (13-12) completed a surprising run to a Big East title by beating the Bluejays (20-8). Georgetown’s Chudier Bile matched a season high with 19 points in the win.
NO. 19 SAN DIEGO STATE 68, UTAH STATE 57 >> Matt Mitchell scored 14 points to lead the Aztecs (23-4) to the Mountain West Tournament championship. The Aggies had beaten San Diego State in each of the past two tournament champion- ship games. (18-8) in the SEC Tournament TEXAS SOUTHERN 80, PRAIsemifinals. RIE VIEW A&M 61 >> Karl Nicholas
LSU 78, NO. 8 ARKANSAS 71 >> scored 16 points and Cameron Thomas scored 21 pulled down 12 rebounds as points, and the Tigers (188) the Bobcats (16-8) rolled to upset the Razorbacks (226) the Southwest Athletic Conference to reach the SEC Tournament title. championship game NORFOLK STATE 71, MORGAN for the first time since 1993. STATE 63 >> Joe Bryant scored The Tigers will play No. 6 17 points as the Spartans Alabama looking to improve (16-7) won the Mid-Eastern their NCAA Tournament Athletic Conference Tournament seeding even more. and earned their LSU has won this tournament first NCAA Tournament bid only once — back in in nine years.
1980. HARTFORD 64, UMASS LOWNO. 7 HOUSTON 76, MEMPHIS ELL 50 >> Austin Williams
74>> Justin Gorham scored scored 20 points and the 15 points, including four Hawks (15-8) won the America free throws in the final 27 East championship and seconds, to lead the Cougars earned its first NCAA Tournament (23-3) to the American bid. Athletic Conference EASTERN WASHINGTON 66, Tournament final Cincinnati MONTANA STATE 55 >> Jacob today. Groves had 15 points and
NO. 13 TEXAS 91, NO. 12 OKLAthe Eagles (16-7) earned
HOMA STATE 86 >> Matt their third NCAA Tournament Coleman scored a careerhigh bid and first since 30 points and Jericho 2015 by winning the Big Sky Simms added a career-best Conference Tournament.