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Bruce Pearl, Rick Pitino Make Awkward History

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ryan Harris | Last updated Apr 4, 2025 2:00 PM ET

For the first time in AP Coach of the Year history, there is a tie for first place.

The Associated Press men’s college basketball coach of the year has been around for 58 years, and due to the Auburn Tigers brilliance, and St. John’s emergence as a top team in the country, head coaches Bruce Pearl and Rick Pitino will share the title of AP Coach of the Year.

No. 2 ranked St. John’s suffered a second-round loss to No. 10 seed Arkansas, led by John Calipari, to end their incredible season.

The No. 1 overall seed Auburn Tigers have punched their ticket to the Final Four and look poised for a national championship.

Behind Johni Broome’s player of the year caliber season, and an incredibly deep roster, find themselves with a Final Four matchup against a familiar SEC foe Florida Gators.

Bruce Pearl’s stellar season with Auburn is not surprising, as he wins everywhere he goes, including Milwaukee, Tennessee, and now with Auburn.

In his 21 years of coaching at major schools, he has won six regular season conference titles, four conference tournament titles, appeared in 14 NCAA tournaments, and two Final Four appearances.

Both of his Final Four’s are with the Auburn Tigers, most recently in the 2018-19 season, where they fell to the eventual champion No. 1 seed Virginia Cavaliers.

The AP award is now his second coach of the year this season, as he won the same award for the NABC.

Bruce Pearl and the Auburn Tigers kick off the Final Four weekend against the Florida Gators on Saturday at 5:09PM Central.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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