The Gophers fired men’s basketball coach Ben Johnson early Thursday morning, following his third losing Big Ten season in four years, a decision which will cost the University of Minnesota a $2.93 million buyout of his contract.

Johnson, 44, coached the Gophers for four years with one trip to the NIT and one winning season. This year, Minnesota finished 15-17 overall and 7-13 in Big Ten play but won five games on the road. Johnson was 56-71 in four seasons and 22-57 in league competition. He was 1-4 in the Big Ten tournament.

Minnesota fired 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 rugged and expanded Big Ten.

Desmond Claude, Rashaun Agee and Wesley Yates III lead the 14th-seeded Trojans past the 11th-seeded Scarlet Knights, 97-89. USC faces sixth-seeded Purdue in a second-round game on Thursday night.

The Wildcats beat Minnesota in a Big Ten tournament first-round game on Wednesday and will face Wisconsin on Thursday.

Northwestern men's basketball coach Chris Collins is not happy with the Big Ten. After helping lead his team to a 72-64 victory over Minnesota in the first round of the conference tournament Wednesday,

Chris Collins took a shot at the Big Ten after his team's win on Wednesday. After Northwestern beat Minnesota 72-64 in the opening round of the Big Ten tournament, Collins directed some pointed comments at the conference for what he saw as unfair treatment.