Historic Big East Shakeup: Dan Hurley and Richard Join Forces with Rick Pitino

We’re just under a month from wrapping up this season, and as everyone focuses on the teams still competing, whispers about next season’s coaching changes are starting to circulate. Recently, the most talked-about shifts have been Sean Miller departing Xavier for Tennessee and Richard Pitino moving from New Mexico to Xavier. What makes the Pitino transition particularly noteworthy is that now, among the 11 Big East institutions, two will be helmed by members of the Pitino clan! This familial involvement seems to have sparked something in Dan Hurley, prompting him to consider incorporating more family into his program too.

We were already aware that following his eighth season (during his second tenure) at Xavier, Sean Miller was set to leave for the position of head coach at Texas. This information was verified by Xavier’s athletics director, Greg Christopher.

“The search for our upcoming head coach has started, and we are proceeding swiftly to identify the appropriate leader for our team.”

It turned out they identified their target quite swiftly in Richard Pitino.

Absolutely right! During his 13-year career as a head coach, Pitino concluded his stint at New Mexico with an impressive 88-49 win-loss record. He secured the Mountain West title during the 2023-2024 season, led his team into the NCAA tournament for back-to-back years, and made significant progress by reaching the playoffs for the first time in 13 years this season.

Moreover, he inherits those Pitino genes. Having trained under the finest, he spent two separate periods coaching alongside his father, Rick Pitino, at Louisville; Rick is now at the helm of Big East opponent St. John’s.

It was all going to revolve around how well I fit.

” Pitino Jr. said.

Returning to the East definitely had its appeal when considering the family dynamics.

And that “family situation” appears to be affecting Hurley in some manner. Not exactly the same way, but sufficiently for him to express his feelings about it.

Sean [Miller] is among the top coaches in the nation, but bringing aboard Richard [Pitino] means I now have two Pitinos on board. I might just have to bring my brother into the league too.

Everyone knows about Bobby Hurley, yet his coaching career starkly contrasts with that of his brother. While he excelled as a player—claiming championships and earning consensus First-Team All-America honors—he hasn’t found similar success as a coach.


Might the Big East be his breakthrough moment? Possibly. Particularly since many folks at ASU appear to believe that a change is overdue.

After a challenging start of 13-19 in the Big 12, Bobby’s program appears to be stagnating at most.


Certainly, he has achieved some noteworthy success, securing the title of the second most winning coach in ASU history with 168 victories. However, during his time as head coach, the Sun Devils have only managed to make it into March Madness three times, each appearance being limited to the initial round without advancing further.

At present, switching things up might be the most beneficial choice for both him and the program. Meanwhile, supporters have started suggesting potential destinations, mentioning places such as Providence and Villanova.

So could we really see another Hurley in the Big East soon? Well, let’s just say the door isn’t completely shut. For now, though, Dan Hurley’s got other things on his mind, like dealing with the heartbreak of UConn’s season-ending loss.

Dan Hurley’s three-peat dream crushed in a dramatic finish

Dan Hurley ran through the full spectrum of emotions on Sunday after his Huskies fell 77-75 to Florida in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, officially ending UConn’s bid for a third straight national championship.

The situation involved rage directed towards the officials as the game reached its conclusion, causing Hurley to abruptly leave the court and express his displeasure over contentious decisions. Additionally, there was evident irritation regarding his squad’s errors, such as not securing rebounds after missed shots and botching crucial grabs.


He shed numerous tears when he understood that his championship journey had suddenly stopped, bidding farewell to dedicated seniors such as Alex Karaban and Samson Johnson, who put everything into the team.

Eventually, there came a sense of pride. Despite the disappointment, Hurley recognized what UConn had achieved during the previous three years. Even though this team wasn’t as talented as his prior two champions, they put up a valiant effort. After all, they were seeded eighth; claiming a third consecutive title would have been nothing short of miraculous.

However, being aware of its approach did not make it any simpler when it ultimately struck.

Hurley’s outburst was caught on camera as he left the court. Queen City News’ Joey Ellis posted the video, which quickly went viral. The head coach later admitted there were things he wished he hadn’t done, particularly
His vulgar explosion regarding the refereeing
.

“Those are three great officials on that game,”

Hurley said, trying to smooth things over.

Even though I spoke impulsively during the heat of the moment, within an area of the court where in virtually all my college coaching experiences has typically been free from media presence… that space is meant for those actively participating, for the athletes competing. It isn’t intended for recording with camera phones.

Later, Charlotte Sports Live reported that UConn’s sports information director, Bobby Mullen, requested Ellis to remove the video and reportedly made a threatening remark. Ellis subsequently verified that Mullen did apologize; however, the harm had already been inflicted.

Just like that, Dan Hurley’s season came to an end precisely as it had unfolded throughout the entire year—a mix of media controversies, calls from officials questioned, and plenty of emotional moments. Now, we’ll have to wait and see if—and how—he manages to recover heading into the next season.

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