Another Big Ten basketball job is open.
Minnesota fired Ben Johnson after four seasons, Director of Athletics Mark Coyle announced Thursday morning.
The Gophers (15-17) had their season end on Wednesday when they lost to Northwestern in the opening game of the Big Ten Tournament. Leadership informed Johnson of its decision when the team returned to Minneapolis after 1 a.m.
“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,” Coyle said in a statement.
“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.
Minnesota went 56-71 under Johnson, including 22-57 in conference play, and never made the NCAA Tournament. Player turnover was an issue, as Johnson was constantly forced to rebuild rosters amid a lacking NIL program and an expanding Big Ten.
Attendance at 97-year-old Williams Arena has also waned, with the NBA’s Timberwolves a much hotter ticket for hoops in a city center that offers plenty to do other than college basketball.
“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 continued.
“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.”
Johnson, 44, did well to get the Gophers to the Big Ten Tournament this year, defeating tourney teams like Michigan, Oregon and UCLA after being picked to finish last in the preseason.
He was also routinely praised by Michigan State legend Tom Izzo during his tenure, but his best season was in 2023-24 when Minnesota earned a spot in the NIT after a 19-15 finish.
247Sports listed several candidates to replace him led by Colorado State coach Niko Medved, West Virginia coach Darian DeVries, Northern Iowa coach Ben Jacobson, Drake coach Ben McCollum and St. Thomas coach Johnny Tauer.
