Minnesota fires coach Ben Johnson after four seasons - ESPN

Minnesota fired men's basketball coach Ben Johnson on Thursday after four years of repeatedly rebuilding rosters at his alma mater without coming close to an NCAA tournament appearance as the program fell behind in the rugged and expanded Big Ten.

Johnson had two seasons remaining on his contract, which calls for a $2.92 million buyout. His annual salary was $1.95 million, the lowest in the 18-team league.

The Gophers finished 15-17 after losing 72-64 to Northwestern on Wednesday in the first round of the conference tournament. Minnesota dropped five of its final six games of the season.

Athletic director Mark Coyle announced his decision early Thursday after a late-night meeting with Johnson upon the team's return from Indianapolis. The university posted the news on its website at 1:07 a.m. local time and on social media at 1:19 a.m.

«The expectation for our program is to compete for championships, and unfortunately, we have not done that in the last four years,» Coyle said in a statement. «This is an extremely desirable job in one of the best conferences and cities in the nation, and we fully expect to compete at the highest level on and off the court.»

Coyle, who serves on the NCAA tournament selection committee, has long desired a return to relevancy in March for both the men's and women's basketball teams. He worked previously at Kentucky and Syracuse, two campuses with long histories of hardwood success.

«We provide a world-class experience for our student-athletes, have one of the best practice facilities in the nation and play games in a historic venue,» Coyle said. «We offer everything that is needed to be successful, and we will immediately begin a nationwide search for our next men's basketball coach.»

Minneso