Rick Pitino and Bruce Pearl were named fellow winners by Associated Press Men’s College Basketball Coach of the Year Award on Friday.
It was the first battle in voting during the 58 years that the award has been awarded.
Both Pitino, from St. John’s and Auburns Pearl received 20 votes from a national media panel.
Pat Kelsey from Louisville (eight votes), Jon Scheyer from Duke (FIVE), Dennis Gates from Missouri (three) and Michigan State’s Tom Izzo (eight votes) also Ben McCollum from Drake and Eric Olen from UC San Diego – who both went on to new jobs – each one received a voice.
Pitino, 72, finished his 37th season as head coach, with Pearl, 65, in his 21st season. This is the first award for both veteran coaches.
Pitino is the first St. John’s coach serving the AP Awards. During his second season there he led Storm to a record of 31-5 and its first trip to the NCAA tournament since 2019.
Pearl is in his 11th season at Auburn, which is the total seed no. 1 of the NCAA tournament and will meet Florida in Final Four on Saturday.
This is Auburn’s sixth performance in the tournament under Pearl and its second final Four.
Cliff Ellis (1999) is the only other Auburn coach who won the AP award.
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