Eliminated but not finished: Tom Izzo, Rick Pitino lead historic crop of successful 70-plus coaches

Three of the four coaches from the 70-plus crowd who reached the second weekend of the 2026 NCAA Tournament were eliminated in the Sweet 16, prompting the inevitable flurry of questions and speculation over their futures. But for the two who lost East Region heartbreakers on Friday -- Rick Pitino of St. John's and Tom Izzo of Michigan State -- there is clearly unfinished business. "It's sure as hell not going to be now," the 71-year-old Izzo said when hit with a postgame question about his future. Pitino, 73, didn't get a retirement question, but he talked about a future in the profession. "I may have some good teams," he said, "but never, ever again with this type of attitude and just...