Could Kentucky play Iona and Rick Pitino in New York?

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John Calipari apparently is considering a game with Iona next season -- but he better win if he does. (Vicky Graff Photo)

I would love to see Kentucky go to New York and play Iona in the Jimmy V Classic next season. It would match John Calipari’s Cats against coach Rick Pitino, the man UK fans loved when he was coaching Kentucky and most have hated since he returned to college basketball to coach Louisville and now Iona.

Pitino pitched the idea of UK-Iona in the Jimmy V Classic in Madison Square Garden almost as soon as he got the job. Obviously, it makes a lot of sense for Iona.

For Kentucky, the appeal would have to be that Calipari likes taking his team to New York to play.

Maybe it’s going to happen.

“Iona plans to play University of Kentucky next year,” @GaelNationHoops tweeted Sunday night.

However, almost immediately @GaelNationHoops added this: “Nothing is finalized until the contract is signed. Don’t come for my head when we are playing Bucknell instead.”

My translation: There’s still plenty of time for Calipari to decide not to play Pitino’s Gaels.

If the game is played, UK likely would want Iona to return a game later in Rupp Arena. But what UK better be concerned about is WINNING.

The Cats went 9-16 last year and think about the uproar in BBN if Calipari’s Cats lost to Pitino. Don’t laugh. Iona made the NCAA Tournament in Pitino’s first year despite a long COVID pause and put a scare into SEC champion Alabama.

Beating Pitino in Madison Square Garden would be sweet for most UK fans but losing to Pitino would be disastrous and become a national story for weeks. If Calipari thought fans were unhappy with him last season, it would be nothing compared to the feeling if he lost to Pitino.

It probably will be weeks before we know anything officially. Calipari is not going to agree — I don’t think — to this game until he gets his roster finalized and I don’t think he’s close to doing that yet.

Still, count me as one who would love to see a Pitino-Calipari matchup in New York. Calipari needs something to rejuvenate him and there’s no coach he would rather beat than Pitino.

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