Saul Phillips fired after five seasons at Ohio

Ohio is parting ways with head basketball coach Saul Phillips, who went 81-77 in five years at the helm. The Bobcats, who were eliminated in the opening round of the MAC Tournament on Monday, went to the postseason just once under Phillips (the 2016 CBI).

“We are making a change in the leadership of our men’s basketball program,” athletic director Jim Schaus said in a release Wednesday morning. “I do not believe that our men’s basketball program, that has a rich tradition of excellence, is where we need to be in terms of consistent, on-court success.”

One potential replacement that will surely be on the radar for Ohio is Stony Brook head coach Jeff Boals, a Magnolia, OH-native who played for the Bobcats and also coached at Akron and Ohio State. Other names include current Ohio State assistant and Columbus-native Ryan Pedon and former Fort Wayne head coach (and current Michigan State assistant) Dane Fife, who will likely be considered for any job opening in the Midwest.

h/t to Calvin Mattheis/Ohio Athletics for the photo