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Report: Xavier to hire New Mexico's Richard Pitino as next head coach

ns_headshot_2024-clearby:Nick Schultz•about 14 hours•

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New Mexico HC Richard Pitino
Chris Day | The Commercial Appeal | USA TODAY NETWORK

Xavier is expected to hire Richard Pitino as its next head coach, CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein reported. The son of Rick Pitino, he led New Mexico to the second round of the NCAA Tournament this year and will now replace Sean Miller.

This year marked New Mexico’s second consecutive March Madness appearance under Richard Pitino. The Lobos took down Marquette in the opening round to set up a showdown against Michigan State in the Round of 32. Although New Mexico got off to a strong start, the Spartans came back to knock the Lobos out of the field.

Pitino had been linked to multiple jobs this cycle, including another Big East opening at Villanova. Now, he’s getting ready to replace Miller at Xavier – and, as a result, coach in the same conference as his father.

Pitino took over at New Mexico following his departure from Minnesota. He took the Lobos from a 13-19 overall record in his first year in 2021-22 to an NCAA Tournament appearance in just three years. On the whole, he amassed an 88-49 record in Albuquerque, including a 40-33 mark in Mountain West Conference play. This past year, the Lobos won the Mountain West for the sixth time in program history and the first time since 2014.

Prior to his time at New Mexico, Pitino spent eight years at Minnesota, where he led the Golden Gophers to an NIT championship in his first season in 2013-14. The program made two NCAA Tournament appearances under his watch, and he had a 141-123 record in the Twin Cities before his departure after the 2020-21 campaign.

As he heads to the Big East, Pitino will now go against his dad twice a year when Xavier heads to New York to take on St. John’s and the Red Storm come to Cincinnati to take on the Musketeers. Rick Pitino was in attendance for New Mexico’s second-round game against Michigan State after his St. John’s squad suffered an upset loss to Arkansas a day earlier.

Xavier moved quickly to replace Miller, who left this week to take over as the head coach at Texas. The Musketeers were one of the last teams into the NCAA Tournament and played the Longhorns in the First Four in Dayton, coming back to get the victory a week ago to advance to the first round. Xavier then fell to Illinois in the Round of 64.