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Rick and Richard Pitino to face off in Louisville-FIU three-game series, beginning in December

It’s the age-old story. Father and son part ways, son returns to defeat his father.

Well, maybe it’s not that medieval or that epic, considering Rick Pitino and his son, Richard, still maintain a strong relationship, but when Louisville and Florida International meet on Dec. 19, a new storyline will emerge.

The two men, both head coaches of their respective programs, will begin a three-game series this upcoming season that will run through 2014-15.

It will begin in December at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, then move to Miami in 2013-14, then back to Louisville to close out the series.

“Getting a chance to play one of the premier teams in the nation will be great for our fans as well as our program, especially in 2014-15, when the Cardinals come down here to Miami,” Richard Pitino said in a statement. “To be able to get a Top 5 team in the country to come into your building is not only a landmark moment in the evolution of our program, but it will open the door for other opportunities.”

Pitino comes to FIU after serving as an assistant under his father at Louisville. The two programs were drawn even closer this past week, when injured Louisville forward Rakeem Buckles announced he would be transferring schools, trading one Pitino for another and heading to FIU.

Louisville is coming off a Final Four season in 2011-12, while FIU is working to build after an 8-21 finish.

Daniel Martin is a writer and editor at JohnnyJungle.com, covering St. John’s. You can find him on Twitter:@DanielJMartin_