"Dumb as hell" "Where is Scheyer?": College hoops fans irate as Rick Pitino and Bruce Pearl share AP Coach of the Year award
For the first time in the 58-year history of the AP Coach of the Year award, the honor is being shared between two coaches. Bruce Pearl and Rick Pitino have been recognized for their remarkable efforts and contributions.
Pearl, who transformed the Auburn Tigers into a basketball powerhouse, and Pitino, who spearheaded the swift rebuild of St. John's Red Storm, both received 20 votes from the national media panel that also votes in the AP Top 25 each week. The tie led to both being named co-winners of the prestigious award.
On Friday, college basketball insider Jon Rothstein broke the news on X, tweeting:
“Auburn’s Bruce Pearl and St. John’s Rick Pitino have been named AP Co-Coach of the Year, per release.”
While some fans were happy about the decision, many others took to social media to express their frustration. The comments section quickly filled up with reactions:
“Where is Scheyer???” one fan asked.
“No Scheyer? They said a team full of freshman couldn’t win anymore and he shows you can win with freshman,” another wrote.
One simply put, “That’s dumb as hell.”
“What a joke lol,” another chimed in.
Some hoops fans even made suggestions:
“Todd Golden took a team of players who weren’t highly ranked out of high school for the most part to the Final Four.”
Another user added, “‘Co-coach’ is so incredibly weak. What’s next? Three coaches?”
One fan even joked about Coach Pitino’s stance:
“Pitino said he doesn’t do ‘co,’ so this should be interesting.”
Some also brought up other deserving names:
“What about Calipari?” a fan added
Still, some fans supported the outcome:
“Honestly think it’s fair. The two jobs from those coaches this year are as good or better than many coach of the year winners recently.”
Another shared, “Mark Pope and Pat Kelsey at least deserve an honorable mention... Pope took his team of transfers and freshman to the Sweet 16 even with losing 2 very good players to injury.”
Bruce Pearl’s Auburn to face Florida in Final Four
Auburn is back in the Final Four for the second time in program history, returning for the first time since 2019. The Tigers, a No. 1 seed, will face top-seeded Florida on Saturday, April 5, at the Alamodome in San Antonio. Tip-off is set for 6:09 p.m. ET on CBS.
Before the big game, Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said at the pregame press conference.
“We’re excited about being back at the Final Four. You don’t know that you’re ever going to get there once in your career, so you feel incredibly blessed and grateful to have a second opportunity.”
Reflecting on their earlier loss to Florida, Pearl added:
“I think Florida’s playing the best basketball of anybody in the country. I’ve said it publicly a dozen times. Is that a slap in the face to Duke or to Houston or to my Auburn team? No, it’s not. But that’s how I have felt...Does that mean we can’t beat them? Of course not. I felt that way going into the game. And then in the game they showed us that. They were better than us. We were the No. 1 team in the country.” Timestamp 16:10
Florida earned their Final Four spot with wins over Norfolk State, UConn, Maryland and Texas Tech. Auburn reached this stage by beating Alabama State, Creighton, Michigan and Michigan State.