Clash of Titans: How Have Winningest Tourney Coaches Done vs. Each Other?
The four active coaches with the highest NCAA playoff winning percentages (minimum of 80 decisions) are John Calipari (61-24, .718), Tom Izzo (61-27, .693), Rick Pitino (57-23, .713) and Bill Self (58-25, .699). Izzo and Pitino were on a collision course to possibly meet in East Regional final but both lost in regional semifinals. Calipari has some breathing room in the following comparison of how the four luminaries have fared against each other in their college careers (including stints with Illinois, Iona, Louisville, Massachusetts and Tulsa):
| Elite Coach | vs. Calipari | vs. Izzo | vs. Pitino | vs. Self | Combined Record (Pct.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Calipari | ..... | 3-3 | 10-5 | 7-7 | 20-15 (.571) |
| Tom Izzo | 3-3 | ..... | 3-1 | 7-8 | 13-12 (.520) |
| Rick Pitino | 5-10 | 1-3 | ..... | 1-1 | 7-14 (.333) |
| Bill Self | 7-7 | 8-7 | 1-1 | ..... | 16-15 (.516) |
Best Tourney Trivia Item Involving Calipari and Pitino: Did you know Kentucky coach Mark Pope hit all six of his free throws in 1996 Final Four game when UK defeated Massachusetts in first-ever NCAA playoff meeting between Calipari and Pitino?