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, a fleeting accomplishment for a program that has fallen behind in the 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 conference.
The Gophers finished 15-17 after losing 72-64 to Northwestern on Wednesday in the first round of the Big Ten tournament. Minnesota dropped five of its final six games.
Athletic director Mark Coyle announced his decision early Thursday after a late-night meeting with Johnson upon the team's return from Indianapolis.
"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."
Johnson departs with an overall record of 56-71, going 22-57 in the Big Ten.
He was in his first head coaching opportunity, returning to Minnesota after serving as an assistant there from 2013 to 2018. He also played two seasons for the Gophers, averaging around nine points per game, before starting his coaching career.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
