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Richard Pitino has reached a verbal agreement with the University of Minnesota to become the Gopher's next head basketball coach.
We're on the podcast. But @goodmancbs can report Richard Pitino has reached a verbal agreement with Minnesota to be its next coach.
— Gary Parrish (@GaryParrishCBS) April 3, 2013
Pitino joins the Gophers after just one season with Florida International. Pitino lead the Panthers to their first winning season 1999-2000 with a 18-14 mark. FIU made it to the Sun Belt championship after knocking off Middle Tennessee State in the semifinals, but the Panthers fell to Western Kentucky 65-63.
Before being hired to take over for NBA legend Isiah Thomas, the 30 year old Pitino was an assistant at the College of Charleston, Northeastern, Duquesne, Florida, and Louisville under his father.
Pitino gets the job days after former NBA coach Flip Saunders turned down the Gophers to take over for Tubby Smith.
Florida International will officially move from the Sun Belt Conference to Conference USA on July 1.
See all of the mid-major coaching changes on our Coaching Carousel page.