BLAIRSTOWN, N.J. — Richard Pitino wants to pump the brakes on his dad’s suggestion that Louisville and Minnesota should meet in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
“He’s going to have to be an executive at ESPN to decide,” the Minnesota coach told SNY.tv of his father, Louisville coach Rick Pitino, during a recent recruiting trip to Blair Academy.
“I think he just won the national championship but he doesn’t make those decisions. ESPN does.”
Speaking at his recent Hall of Fame induction, Rick Pitino said he’d like to see the matchup happen.
“I’m hoping, that the Big Ten/ACC Challenge … I’m hoping that we get matched up them because it terms of a home and home, I’m not playing him,” Pitino said, according to NBC Sports.
“I think it would be fun,” the new Hall of Fame member said. “I played him at FIU and he was totally mismatched, and at least we can play on more equal terms.
“I think it’d be great. If we win I feel bad for him. If we lose I’ll feel great for him.”
Last season, Louisville spanked Richard Pitino’s Florida International club, 79-55, en route to the national championship later that year.
Now in his first year at Minnesota, Richard Pitino is working hard to add talent for the 2014-15 season. The Gophers are hoping at least one member of Minnesota’s BIg Three of Tyus Jones, Rashad Vaughn and Reid Travis stays home.
Meantime, Richard doesn’t sound like he’s in a hurry to schedule his dad anytime soon — unless ESPN mandates it.
“We’ve talked about it,” he told SNY.tv. “I think we’re going to wait and see what the Big Ten/ACC Challenge is all about. I think we both honestly prefer to work together than work against each other.”
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