In an unprecedented turn of events, the college basketball world witnessed history on April 4, 2025, when Bruce Pearl and Rick Pitino were named AP Co-Coaches of the Year. The announcement marked the first tie in the award’s 58-year history, igniting passionate responses across social media platforms when sources broke the news.
Historic Recognition Sparks Social Media Frenzy
Basketball enthusiasts were quick to weigh in on this rare shared honor with opinions ranging from wholehearted approval to spirited debate. “That’s dumb as hell” wrote one disappointed fan while others celebrated the historic recognition.
As both coaches prepare to lead their teams in the Final Four in San Antonio their dual recognition has become as much a talking point as their remarkable seasons.
Congratulations to Bruce Pearl and Rick Pitino on earning AP Co-Coach of the Year honors 👏 pic.twitter.com/O5Xjdd96mp
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 4, 2025
Auburn fans celebrated Pearl’s achievement as validation for transforming their program into a basketball powerhouse. “Bruce Pearl deserves it outright” declared one passionate Tiger supporter on X.
With a 32-5 record and the tournament’s overall No. 1 seed Auburn fans pointed to Pearl’s impressive 19-5 record against Quad 1 opponents as proof he deserved sole possession of the honor.
Meanwhile, St. John’s faithful were equally enthusiastic about Pitino’s recognition highlighting his remarkable second year turnaround of the program.
The St. John’s Barstool account proudly celebrated Pitino as “the first St. John’s coach to win the award.” Red Storm supporters enthusiastically referenced their undefeated 18-0 home record and first outright Big East championship since 1985 as evidence of Pitino’s coaching brilliance.
Many fans appreciated the historic tie itself, noting that the unprecedented split decision reflected how exceptional both coaching performances were. College basketball analyst Bryan Fischer observed, “The old guys it seems, still got it” a nod to the enduring excellence of Pearl (65) and Pitino (72).
Basketball enthusiasts on social media dissected the similarities and differences in their achievements, with both coaches guiding their teams to the Final Four.
Legacy and Tournament Implications
The award has sparked conversations about both coaches’ legacies with Pearl seeking his first NCAA championship while Pitino, at 72 aims to become the first coach to win titles at three different schools. Their contrasting styles but similar success has led to rich debate.
Some fans pointed to Pearl’s NABC Coach of the Year award on April 1 as evidence he should have won outright while others cited Pitino’s Big East Coach of the Year honor as equally significant.
“Where is Scheyer???” questioned one Duke supporter highlighting how the debate extended beyond just Pearl and Pitino. Another fan complained about the tie as “utter woke nonsense” reflecting the heated nature of the discussions.
Statistics became ammunition in fan debates with Auburn supporters highlighting Pearl becoming the program’s all-time winningest coach in January while Pitino advocates noted he’s the first coach to lead six different schools to the NCAA Tournament.
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One commenter cryptically noted, “Pitino said he doesn’t do ‘co’ so this should be interesting,” alluding to the coach’s competitive personality.
As Pearl prepares for his Final Four matchup, fan discussions have naturally pivoted to speculation about whether he can cap this shared honor with a national championship.
Some supporters of other programs remain unconvinced with comments like “Golden snubbed” and “Jon Scheyer got snubbed” appearing in response to the announcement.
The historic tie may be settled in the minds of many fans if Pearl cuts down the nets in San Antonio on April 7.
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