On Monday evening, Indiana announced that they have fired head coach Archie Miller after four seasons.
The Hoosiers missed the NCAA March Madness Tournament again this year, finishing the season 12-15 and in the bottom half of the Big Ten Conference.
Athletic director Scott Dolson released a statement on Miller’s firing, stating why he believed it would be best to part ways.
“As the Director of Athletics, I wanted to wait until the conclusion of the season before evaluating the leadership of our men’s basketball program,” Dolson said. “In the days following the completion of our season in the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament, I have spent a great deal of time evaluating our recruiting, student-athlete development, leadership development, and playing philosophy and strategy. That review, combined with the on-court results, ultimately led me to conclude that a change in leadership of our program is warranted at this time. I shared my assessment with Indiana University President Michael McRobbie, and he accepted my recommendation.”
“I want to thank Archie Miller, his staff, and their families for their service and commitment to IU and for his unwavering commitment to our student-athletes, the men’s basketball program, and Indiana University. We wish Archie and his family all the best in the next steps of their journey.”
Archie Miller took over the Indiana program in 2017, replacing Tom Crean, after six widely successful seasons at Dayton. Despite his accomplished past, however, Miller did not live up to expectations with Indiana. During his four seasons in Bloomington, the Hoosiers didn’t play in a single NCAA tournament game. His record with the team was 67-58 overall and 33-44 in conference play.
Miller only signed one top-25 prospect in his entire tenure, never had a team finish in the top 60 of offensive efficiency, never had a team finish in the top 25 of defensive efficiency, and never had a team finish in the top 200 in 3-point field goal percentage.
Thus, it’s not surprising Indiana decided to fire Miller, as his career with the program was very underwhelming.
“Indiana Basketball has a long, rich history of success that dates back generations,” Dolson finished in the statement. “Our five national championships and 22 Big Ten titles make us one of the most accomplished programs in college basketball history. I have high expectations for our program, and we have not competed at a level within the conference or nationally that I believe we should.
“While I will not establish a formal search committee, I will consult within the University and with trusted experts in the state and around the country as I seek out and recruit a new coach. The work to find the next leader of Indiana Basketball will begin immediately, and I will seek a chief executive that I can partner with to re-establish the brand and national presence of Indiana Basketball.”
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