TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Stan Heath has been fired as men's basketball coach at South Florida, two years after leading the Bulls to their first NCAA tournament appearance in 20 years.
The dismissal Friday came two days after USF closed its season on a nine-game losing streak. The Bulls advanced to the third round of the NCAAs in 2012, but were unable to build on that success.
Heath went 12-20 this season, including a loss to Rutgers in the opening round of American Athletic Conference tournament. USF also won 12 games last season, their final year in the Big East, and went 97-130 overall in seven seasons under Heath.
The school says incoming athletic director Mark Harlan, whose hiring was announced this week, will lead the search for Heath's successor. It's not clear if he or soon-to-retire AD Doug Woolard made to decision to fire Heath.
Heath coached Arkansas five seasons before he was fired following the 2007 season. The former Michigan State assistant was 82-71 with the Razorbacks and took the team to consecutive NCAA Tournaments in his final two years.
Arkansas hired Heath from Kent State, where he went 30-6 in one season and led the team to the NCAA's Elite Eight.