Sean Miller’s time at the University of Arizona has reportedly come to an end.
According to multiple reports, Arizona opted to part ways with Miller on Wednesday, a little more than a month following the conclusion of his 12th season leading the program. Stadium’s Jeff Goodman first reported the news.
Miller coached the Wildcats to seven NCAA tournaments, including three trips to the Elite Eight, but was recently hit with multiple NCAA violations in the aftermath of the infamous federal college basketball corruption case.
Miller had just one year remaining on his contract and with potentially significant NCAA penalties on the horizon, the Arizona administration opted to make a change.
- Nike sues MSCHF over Satan Shoes with human blood
- Sergio Ramos: Real Madrid captain out of Liverpool games
Arizona received its NCAA Notice of Allegations in October, but did not release it until last month when a judge ruled that the university must make the document public. In the document, it was confirmed that Arizona’s men’s basketball program is facing four Level I violations, including the lack of institutional control and a head coach responsibility violation for Miller for the failure to “promote an atmosphere of compliance” and monitor his staff.
Book Richardson, one of Miller’s former assistant coaches, pled guilty to federal bribery charges in 2019. Richardson was accused of accepting $20,000 to direct Arizona players to sign with Christian Dawkins, an aspiring sports agent. During Dawkins’ trial, a federal wiretap played a call between Richardson and Dawkins. During the call, Richardson said that Miller was paying $10,000 per month to DeAndre Ayton, who spent one season at Arizona before going No. 1 overall in the 2018 NBA draft.
NCAA tournament trips in 7 of Miller’s first 9 seasons
Miller arrived at Arizona in 2009 after five years as the head coach at Xavier. Miller coached the Wildcats to the Elite Eight in just his second season on the job. In Year 4, UA reached the Sweet 16 before back-to-back Elite Eight appearances in 2014 and 2015.
Arizona lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament in 2016, lost in the Sweet 16 in 2017 and had another first-round exit in 2018. Arizona missed the postseason in 2019 and self-imposed a postseason ban this season with its NCAA case lingering.
Overall, Miller won five Pac-12 regular season titles and three Pac-12 tournaments while accumulating a 302-109 overall record during his time in Tucson.
At Xavier, Miller went to four NCAA tournaments with an Elite Eight appearance in 2008 and a Sweet 16 appearance in 2009. Miller was an assistant at Xavier before he was promoted to head coach. He also had stints as an assistant at Miami (Ohio), Pittsburgh and NC State. His brother, Archie, was the head coach at Dayton and Indiana. Indiana fired Archie Miller on March 15.
SOURCE: YAHOO NEWS