Arizona fires Miller

Arizona had stuck by men’s head basketball coach Sean Miller through an NCAA infractions investigation that stretched nearly four years.

On Wednesday, that patience ended when the school announced Miller was leaving after 12 seasons and associate head coach Jack Murphy will serve as interim head coach.

“We’re evaluating the overall position of the program, and that includes oncourt and offcourt elements,” Arizona athletic director Dave Heeke said. “We evaluated it and we decided at this time it’s the appropriate time to make a change so we can restore and rebuild the overall status of this worldclass basketball program.”

The school said it will honor the final year of Miller’s contract.

Miller and the Wildcats have been in the NCAA’s crosshairs since being ensnared in a 2017 FBI investigation into shady recruiting practices.

The NCAA issued a Notice of Allegations last year and the case is going through the Independent Accountability Resolution Process. Arizona issued a selfimposed postseason ban this year and finished 179 (119 Pac12).

Miller became the third Arizona head coach to reach 300 wins with the program and went 302109 in 12 seasons. Arizona reached the Elite Eight three times, won five Pac12 regularseason titles and three Pac12 tournament titles under Miller.

The Wildcats failed to reach the Final Four under Miller and had not won an NCAA Tournament game since 2017.