Richard Pitino doesn't particularly care that the Minnesota men's basketball team is ranked for the first time in nearly four years.
The 34-year-old son of Louisville coach Rick Pitino has guided the Gophers to a 15-2 record, good enough for them to slip into the latest rankings at No. 24. It's an unusual occurrence for the Gophers, who haven't been ranked since early February 2013.
Pitino is more concerned about getting an NCAA Tournament bid and winning championships.
"Rankings are for the fans," he said. "That's not our goal."
Their coach's indifference notwithstanding, the Golden Gophers get their first chance to enhance their status at Michigan State's Breslin Center on Wednesday.