Pitino Again a Finalist for Basketball Hall of Fame

University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino is once again a finalist for election to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Pitino is among 12 finalists for the Class of 2013; others include former players Tim Hardaway and Gary Payton, and former coaches Jerry Tarkanian and Guy Lewis.

The U of L coach, who has taken three different schools to the Final Four and won a championship at Kentucky in 1996, was also a finalist last year but did not make the final cut.

The 2013 class will be announced in early April.

Pitino will seek his 650th collegiate coaching victory when U of L visits South Florida Sunday.