There will be another Pitino in the Big East next season.
Richard Pitino, the son of St. John’s coach Rick Pitino, is expected to be hired as the next head men’s basketball coach at Xavier, according to ESPN.
He and his dad will now face off at least twice a year.
The younger Pitino, 42, is coming off back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances with New Mexico and will take over the Musketeers after Sean Miller headed to the SEC for the Texas job.
The Lobos won the Mountain West tournament last season and were regular season champions in 2025.
New Mexico, which lost to his dad’s St. John’s team early this season, fell to No. 2 Michigan State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday with his father watching on.
Richard Pitino went 88-49 in his four seasons in New Mexico, including a victory over Marquette in the opening round of this year’s NCAA Tournament.
He takes over a Xavier program that finished 22-12 and fifth in the Big East at 13-7.
The Musketeers defeated Texas in the First Four before losing to Illinois in the first round of March Madness.
They reached the Big Dance two of the past four years.
Before New Mexico, Pitino spent eight years as the head coach of Minnesota.
The Golden Gophers went 141-123 and reached two NCAA Tournaments under his leadership.
He was fired after a 14-15 campaign in 2020-21.
Pitino’s father is coming off a historic second season at St. John’s, leading the Red Storm to their first outright Big East regular season title in 40 years and their first Big East tournament crown since 2000.
The Johnnies were denied a trip to the Sweet 16 by John Calipari and Arkansas on Saturday.