Former Louisville and Kentucky coach Rick Pitino named MAAC Coach of the Year
Jake Adams
Rick Pitino guided Iona men's basketball to a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular-season title in just his second season in charge of the program.
For leading the Gaels (25-6, 17-3) to the conference's top seed, Pitino, the former Louisville and Kentucky coach, was named the MAAC's Coach of the Year on Wednesday.
The Gaels were promptly upset by ninth-seeded Rider 71-70 later Wednesday in Iona's first game of the MAAC championship, leaving their NCAA Tournament prospects in doubt. Rider's Dwight Murray Jr. sank a floater with 7.3 seconds left to knock off the Gaels.
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Pitino, a Hall of Fame coach, took over Iona after two seasons in Greece after spending 16 years leading the Cardinals. He went 293-143 in that time, made 13 NCAA Tournaments, three Final Fours and led a national championship run in 2013 that the NCAA later vacated. Last season the Gaels made the NCAA Tournament and nearly upset Alabama in the first round.
Former Cardinals forward Quinn Slazinski is the fourth-leading scorer on the Gaels this season, averaging 8.9 points and 3.3 rebounds.
He's been mentioned as a candidate to lead Maryland but tweeted last week he's not leaving Iona.
Pitino picked up his 800th win last season.
What's next:Rick Pitino, former Louisville coach, says he will not head to Maryland basketball