Connecticut lived up to its No. 4 seed with a 87-63 win over No. 13 Iona, but the 2023 NCAA tournament first-round game was closer than the favorite likely expected.
Iona, led by veteran coach Rick Pitino, came out Friday with plenty of confidence and stayed step-for-step with the Huskies throughout the first half.
After the Gaels went into halftime with a shocking 39-37 lead, many fans praised the job Pitino had done:
Danny Melvin @dmelvin25Rick Pitino masterclass so far
DaltonI'm convinced Rick Pitino could take a minor league hockey team to the tournament at this point
Edmond DantésRick Pitino is a top 5 college coach of ALL TIME!