RICHARD PITINO

Rick Pitino is once again a hot commodity in college coaching.

Purdue had cleared every hurdle in its way, holding the top spot in the AP Top 25 for four straight weeks.

New Mexico is one of three unbeaten teams left in Division I — the others being No. Only 10 Division I teams average fewer attempted 3-pointers per game than the Lobos (15.9), who are taking 74% of their shots inside the arc. 1 in Monday's poll, marking the Boilermakers' third straight week at the top. Purdue (12-0, 2-0 Big Ten) hosts Florida A&M on Thursday, its final game before returning to league play next week. They’re within one spot of moving into the AP Top 25 for the first time since spending a week at No.

New Mexico has thrived quickly under second-year coach Richard Pitino.

So there's nothing worth watching in college hoops this week? So does Utah State, which plays the Lobos on Feb. 2 in Mountain West play. The Huskies have yet to win a game by fewer than 10 points this season, and that includes wins over No. CONFERENCE PLAYThe biggest showdown this week comes in the ACC on Tuesday night, when the No. The Hurricanes already beat North Carolina State and lowly Louisville while Virginia has a win over Florida State.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — (AP) — Fielding questions about his father is nothing new for New Mexico coach Richard Pitino. “All I care about it that the Lobos find a way to get a win,” Richard Pitino said. “I’m very, very proud of him and love him to death,” Rick Pitino said. “I understand it’s a storyline but it has nothing to do with the game,” Richard Pitino said. In that respect, Richard Pitino said it absolutely has been a success, perhaps even more so than he anticipated.

University of New Mexico coach Richard Pitino says the upcoming matchup against Iona is business as usual for the unbeaten Lobos.

It was their eighth victory this season by five points or fewer, and their highest-ranked victim at home since beating No. Suddenly, a program that began the season in turmoil is on the right side of the NCAA Tournament bubble. At one point the Ducks had six of seven games postponed by COVID-19, and that streak ended with an ugly loss to Washington State. But they followed with five straight wins, including one over fellow bubble-dweller Colorado, heading into an important game against No. That makes their game against Oregon on Thursday night crucial for helping out a shaky resume.

23 Minnesota to a 75-57 victory on Saturday, handing No. 7 Michigan its first loss while holding Dickinson to a season-low nine points. He’s a really good freshman, but you’ve got to act like the junior in this one,’” Minnesota coach Richard Pitino said. “This loss right here is a loss that we’re going to learn from,” coach Juwan Howard said. Minnesota, the lowest of six ranked Big Ten teams, will undoubtedly move up several spots.

(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)It's hard to decide who has been more dominant in men's college basketball this season: Gonzaga or the Big Ten Conference. The sixth-ranked Badgers began a run of Top 25 teams from the league, jumping three spots after wins over Nebraska and then-No. 12 Michigan State. The Hawkeyes dropped from fourth to 10th while surprising Rutgers began a run of four more Big Ten teams at No. Minnesota, whose lone loss came to Illinois and which was last ranked on Dec. 4, 2017, plays its next six against Top 25 teams: Michigan State, at Wisconsin, Ohio State, at Michigan, at Iowa and the Wolverines at home.

Iowa guard Joe Wieskamp (10) and Minnesota guard Gabe Kalscheur (22) vie for the ball in overtime of an NCAA college basketball game Friday, Dec. 25, 2020, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)MINNEAPOLIS – Brandon Johnson made all four his 3-point attempts in overtime and finished with 26 points and nine rebounds, leading Minnesota's late surge to upset No. They trailed by seven points with 44 seconds left in regulation and outscored the Hawkeyes 29-15 the rest of the way. Then Carr hit the tying 3-pointer with 5.7 seconds remaining, bringing the Gophers bench players leaping onto the court. Garza started gobbling up rebounds and turning them into gimme putbacks, and Iowa looked like it was in control.