ATLANTA — Jim Larranaga, who led Miami to the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season and tournament titles and a No. 2 ranking, has been selected The Associated Press' coach of the year.
Larranaga received 29 votes Thursday from the same 65-member national media panel that selects the weekly Top 25. Jim Crews of Saint Louis got 19 votes and Mark Few of Gonzaga had 11. The voting ended on Selection Sunday.
Tom Izzo pitted against Mike Krzyzewski was sensational in the Sweet 16, but coach Rick Pitino's Louisville program may be the most relevant in the country right now, after narrowly losing the national title last year.
Pitino has made six trips to the Final Four and a seventh would tie him for fourth all-time with North Carolina's Roy Williams. Krzyzewski though, is gunning for his 12th, which would tie him with John Wooden for most all time. Don't forget that the last time the two met one another, this happened.
In our other tilt, the combination of speed and athleticism between Florida and Michigan should be incredible. Both teams love to get up and down, and both teams also feature premier head coaches. It will be interesting to see how the Wolverines -- fresh off a highly emotional come-from-behind victory over Kansas, will respond less than 48 hours after the fact.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Duke always seems to feel right at home in the heart of the Hoosier state.
The Blue Devils have won six of seven NCAA tournament games played in Indianapolis and have won two national titles there. That includes their most recent championship in 2010 when the current seniors were freshmen.
A pair of victories there this weekend at the Midwest Regional would send them back to their first Final Four since then.
