After the final game of his third season at Iona, Rick Pitino said he didn't know whether he'd be back for a fourth — or if he'd be coaching somewhere else.

Will he stay at Iona, or will he go?

"I really don't have an answer to it, to be honest with you," Pitino said. "I have no idea if it is or isn't because I've focused everything on this game."

The 70-year-old Pitino, who reached the NCAA tournament with Iona for the second time after a long, storied Hall of Fame career at Boston University, Providence, Kentucky, Louisville and the NBA, remains St. John's No. 1 target, sources told ESPN's Jeff Borzello on Friday.

The two sides have had discussions, but no deal has been finalized at this point, sources said, but the search has remained focused on Pitino and no other serious candidates have emerged.

On the court, Pitino's 13th-seeded Gaels hung tough with No. 4 UConn on Friday before falling 87-63.

For a half, it looked like Pitino might have gotten his first win as a double-digit seed as a head coach. Iona led UConn 39-37 at halftime, following what he called the best half his team has played all season.