Source: Pitino on Alabama's radar
Article by: NEWS SERVICES
Updated: March 31, 2015 - 10:23 PM
The University of Alabama has expressed interest in Minnesota basketball coach Richard Pitino, sources with knowledge of the situation told the Star Tribune.
Crimson Tide athletic director Bill Battle fired former coach Anthony Grant two weeks ago, after six seasons with the program. According to multiple reports, Alabama is pursuing Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall as its first choice. Those reports say Battle traveled to Wichita on Monday to meet with Marshall, but no announcement has been made.
Pitino is heading into the third year of a six-year contract that pays him $1.2 million annually, and he has a buyout of $1.5 million.
Previously, the 32-year-old Pitino worked as an assistant at Louisville - under his father, Rick Pitino - and Florida before taking his first head coaching job at Florida International for the 2012-13 season. After he was hired at Minnesota the following April, the Gophers won an NIT championship in his inaugural year before falling short of both the NCAA and NIT tournaments this year.
The Gophers started 0-5 in Big Ten play after a promising run in the nonconference portion of the schedule. Nine two-possession losses crushed the season's high hopes.
This isn't the first time Pitino, who is 43-28 overall and 14-22 in the Big Ten at Minnesota, has been linked to job openings. Last year, there were reports that the coach was considered by the University of Tennessee in its search.
This year, his name has been thrown out in connection with openings - now filled - at St. John's and once again at Tennessee.
Article by: NEWS SERVICES
Updated: March 31, 2015 - 10:23 PM
The University of Alabama has expressed interest in Minnesota basketball coach Richard Pitino, sources with knowledge of the situation told the Star Tribune.
Crimson Tide athletic director Bill Battle fired former coach Anthony Grant two weeks ago, after six seasons with the program. According to multiple reports, Alabama is pursuing Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall as its first choice. Those reports say Battle traveled to Wichita on Monday to meet with Marshall, but no announcement has been made.
Pitino is heading into the third year of a six-year contract that pays him $1.2 million annually, and he has a buyout of $1.5 million.
Previously, the 32-year-old Pitino worked as an assistant at Louisville - under his father, Rick Pitino - and Florida before taking his first head coaching job at Florida International for the 2012-13 season. After he was hired at Minnesota the following April, the Gophers won an NIT championship in his inaugural year before falling short of both the NCAA and NIT tournaments this year.
The Gophers started 0-5 in Big Ten play after a promising run in the nonconference portion of the schedule. Nine two-possession losses crushed the season's high hopes.
This isn't the first time Pitino, who is 43-28 overall and 14-22 in the Big Ten at Minnesota, has been linked to job openings. Last year, there were reports that the coach was considered by the University of Tennessee in its search.
This year, his name has been thrown out in connection with openings - now filled - at St. John's and once again at Tennessee.
