Hall of Fame Showdown: Bill Self and Rick Pitino Meet for Second Time Ever

Two of the greatest to ever do it will go toe-to-toe this weekend.

Mar 20, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self looks on in the first half against the California Baptist Lancers during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

It'd be difficult to find a pair of college basketball coaches with richer legacies than Kansas' Bill Self and St. John's Rick Pitino. The two legends account for two of the sport's four active Hall of Fame inductees still roaming the sidelines.

This Sunday, the two coaches will go head-to-head in an NCAA Tournament game as they look to lead their respective schools to the Sweet 16. However, you might be surprised to learn that these two haven't faced off against each other much in the past — in fact, this will be just their second meeting ever.

Each coach will be looking to pick up a statement win over the other in what could be one of their final March Madness runs before retirement. The backstory behind this matchup alone has the makings of an instant tournament classic this weekend.

Mar 20, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; St. John's Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino looks on in the first half against the Northern Iowa Panthers during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Bill Self vs Rick Pitino All-Time Record

As the past coach of some Big East schools and powerhouse programs like Kentucky and Louisville, one might imagine that Self and Pitino have had their fair share of battles. That couldn't be farther from the truth.

The first and only time these two met face-to-face on the hardwood came in the 2021 ESPN Events Invitational when Pitino was working his way back up the coaching ranks at Iona. That contest resulted in a 13-point win for the Jayhawks in a nonconference showdown.

Nov 28, 2021; Orlando, FL, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Christian Braun (2) dribbles the ball against the Iona Gaels in the second half at HP Field House. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images | Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images

Even when he coached at Oral Roberts, Tulsa, and Illinois before making his way to Lawrence, Self and Pitino never squared off. It feels surreal that two coaches with as many achievements as they have could avoided each other for so long.

To be fair, Pitino has received a taste of what Kansas is capable of in the past. He was the Kentucky coach responsible for the Wildcats' historic 150-95 loss in 1989, a final score that still stands as the most points the Jayhawks have ever scored in a collegiate game.

Self just can't seem to catch a break in the NCAA Tournament when it comes to historic head coaching matchups. Over the past three years, he has now matched up with other greats like Mark Few and John Calipari, in addition to Pitino.

Obviously, KU's fortunes in March Madness have not turned out as it would have liked in recent seasons. A win on Sunday would give the program its first Sweet 16 appearance since it won a national title in 2022.

But in order to do so, they'll have to get by a Red Storm squad that dominated UConn in the Big East Championship and steamrolled past Northern Iowa in its first tournament clash. Remember, Self and Kansas won a championship in the same season he had his first meeting with Pitino — that could be a sign history is on their side again.