In a year Kentucky doesn’t make the NCAA Tournament and Louisville sits on the bubble, Rick Pitino has led the Iona Gaels to the Big Dance.
Coming in as a 9-seed in the MAAC Tournament after playing just 15 games due to multiple COVID-19 cancellations, Pitino has put together four consecutive victories to take home the conference title and earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Iona defeated 7-seed Fairfield by a final score of 60-51 to secure the title after taking home victories over Quinnipiac in the first round, top-seeded Siena in the second round and Niagara in the semifinals.