Rick Pitino and John Calipari are both headed back to New England for the NCAA Tournament and could face each other in the second round.
Pitino, the former Boston Celtics and current St. John’s coach and Calipari ex-UMass/current Arkansas coach will both begin their NCAA Tournaments in Providence on Thursday.
For Pitino, the Rhode Island capital is the spot where he established himself as a coaching legend. His Red Storm is the No. 2 seed in the West. They’ll face No. 15 Omaha.
Calipari, who is in his first season at Arkansas, is a No. 10-seed against No. 7 Kansas, where he began his coaching career as a graduate assistant. His 1996 Final Four run at UMass began at Providence and included a game against Arkansas and eventually a matchup against Pitino and Kentucky in the Final Four.
Both men are trying to reach the Final Four with their fourth different program. Pitino previously took Providence, Kentucky and Louisville to the tournament’s final weekend. Calipari led UMass, Memphis and Kentucky to the Final Four.
Pitino and Calipari have had a frosty relationship that’s thawed some over the years. The story that Pitino helped Calipari get the job at UMass has since been debunked by people on all sides.
Providence will also host a Midwest Region pod. It will feature No. 5 Clemson against No. 12 McNeese, while No. 4 Purdue takes on 13 High Point.
All times and TV will be announced at a later time.
There will be plenty of Pitino flavor in the tournament. Three of his former employers Providence, Kentucky and Louisville are each in the tournament.
His son Richard Pitino’s New Mexico squad earned a No. 10 seed and will play Marquette in Cleveland. Father and son are likely to have a scouting chat. St. John’s beat Marquette in the Big East Tournament semifinals.
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