The Iona Gaels are preparing for their first-round matchup in the NCAA Tournament with the UConn Huskies, but rumors speculating about head coach Rick Pitino bolting for the open head coaching role at St. John's have garnered a lot of attention, and he was asked about those rumors today.

“I don't know,” Rick Pitino said, via Justin Walters of PIX11 News. “At one time there was talk about an extension, new contract and so on, it didn't work out. But that doesn't mean… there's no hard feelings. If anything it's the opposite, there are great feelings. So, I don't know. At the end of the year, I'll look at certain situations.”

Pitino also said it would not be as easy of a decision as people think, and said he has not been to the St. John's campus in decades.

“You know, even though I'm local, I bet I haven't been to St. John's campus in 30 years,” Pitino said. “I don't even know how to get there. I'd have to use navigation.”

He also said that because he has played in conferences like the Big East, SEC, as well as coaching the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics throughout his career, the idea of upgrading and returning to the Big East is not going to be something that blows him away, and would not be the reason he leaves.

If Pitino does go to St. John's, we will be seeing a preview of him against his future conference foe in the UConn Huskies, as the Iona Gaels take on the Huskies on Friday.