U of M and Pitino Agree to Contract Extension

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Guiding Minnesota to the best single-season turnaround in the country last year has earned coach Richard Pitino a contract extension.

Minnesota announced the extension on Wednesday. It runs through the 2021-22 season. Terms were not immediately disclosed.

Pitino led the Golden Gophers to 24 wins and an NCAA Tournament berth last season, a 16-victory improvement from the miserable 2015-16 season that had the 34-year-old coach on the hot seat.

Athletic director Mark Coyle says he has been impressed by the way Pitino has led the program during Coyle's first year on the job.

The Gophers return all of the important players from this year's team and will enter next season with high hopes.