Rick Pitino gets first NCAA win since 2017 as Iona pulls off upset of Hofstra

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. - Rick Pitino sat on a Zoom call with reporters just 15 feet from Iona College athletic director Matt Glovaski Saturday night when cracked a joke about his first demand.

"After this first win, I've already asked my AD for a two-year extension," Pitino said. "He granted it, but said I'd have to take a 15 percent paycut."

But the school certainly wasn't requesting a refund after the Gaels upset defending Colonial Athletic Association champion Hofstra 82-74 in a game they led throughout.

The result gave the 68-year-old Pitino his first victory at his new home and first NCAA victory since Louisville beat Jacksonville State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on March 17, 2017.

Iona, which lost its only previous game Monday against Seton Hall, entered Saturday as a nine-point underdog. The Pride had been picked to repeat this preseason by CAA coaches.

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Instead, the afternoon belonged largely to senior Isaiah Ross, who poured in a career-high 33 points on 10-of-17 shooting, including 6 of 12 from 3-point range. He scored eight straight at one point in the first half, then hit back-to-back 3s early in the second as the Gaels built a lead they never relinquished.

After he had 23 points but no assists Monday, the preseason all-league guard also answered Pitino's criticism by adding seven rebounds and three assists in his 38 minutes.

"We wanted it more," Ross said. "That's what it was. The second half, we came out and played a lot better than we did in the first game. I feel like our team wanted to go out there and take it. Nothing is going to be give to you in basketball. You have to take it."

"He played a total game," added Pitino. "He's a great scorer. He's an automatic bucket, but he did other things, too."

After having its first two home games canceled, Iona is now slated to host Morgan State at 3 p.m. Tuesday in what will be Pitino's first game at the Hynes Athletic Center.