Mike Anderson fired after eight seasons at Arkansas

Arkansas head coach Mike Anderson was fired Tuesday after eight seasons with the Razorbacks. Anderson went 169-102 at the helm, leading the program to the NCAA Tournament three times in the last five seasons. The news comes a few days after Arkansas was eliminated in the second round of the NIT.

“After a review of the program, including an analysis of the past eight years and a look forward, I have made a decision that a change in leadership will best position our men’s basketball program for future success,” AD Hunter Yurachek said in a statement. “We have not sustained a consistent level of success against the most competitive teams in the nation to enable us to compete for SEC and NCAA Championships on an annual basis.”

One name that popped up as a possible replacement almost immediately was Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson, formerly in the same role at Indiana, Oklahoma and Washington State. The Cougars are still alive in this season’s NCAA Tournament, advancing to the Sweet Sixteen over the weekend for the first time since 1984.

h/t to Timothy J. Gonzalez/AP Photo for the photo