March 13 (UPI) -- The University of Minnesota fired men's basketball coach [Ben Johnson](https://www.upi.com/topic/Ben_Johnson/), athletic director Mark Coyle announced Thursday.
Johnson led the Golden Gophers to a 57-71 record over four seasons. They were 15-17 this season, including a season-ending loss to Northwestern in the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday in Indianapolis.
"I met with Ben in-person early this morning when the team returned to Minneapolis from the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament and informed him that we were making a change in leadership," Coyle said in a news release. "I thanked him for his dedication and for guiding the program, one he cares deeply about, for the last four years.
"Ben is a terrific person, and we wish him well. These decisions are difficult and are made after careful consideration and evaluation. The expectation for our program is to compete for championships, and unfortunately, we have not done that in the last four years."
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The Golden Gophers fired former coach Richard Pitino in 2021. Pitino led the Golden Gophers to a 141-123 mark over eight seasons, including three seasons with at least 22 wins and two NCAA tournament berths.
"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 said. "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.
"We offer everything that is needed to be successful, and we will immediately begin a nationwide search for our next men's basketball coach."