MINNEAPOLIS – Just over a week after making his first big hire at Minnesota, athletic director Norwood Teague says he couldn't be happier to have landed Richard Pitino as his basketball coach.
Teague says he was far more concerned with the end result than he was of any perceptions of swinging and missing on other candidates before landing Pitino. The 30-year-old has only one season of head coaching experience. But Teague was drawn to Pitino's energy, drive and the job he did at Florida International and while working as an assistant under his father Rick at Louisville and Billy Donovan at Florida.
Donovan said last week that he recommended Pitino to Teague during a phone conversation. Teague says Pitino was always on the school's list of candidates.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.