Indiana and Tom Crean have parted ways after nine seasons, the school announced Thursday.
The Hoosiers went to the Sweet 16 three times in his tenure but have not made it to the NCAA tournament twice in the past four seasons -- including this year, even though they beat Kansas and North Carolina early in the season.
"After deliberative thought and evaluation, including multiple meetings with Tom about the future, I have decided to make a change in the leadership of our men's basketball program," Indiana athletic director Fred Glass said in a statement. "Tom Crean brought us through one of the most challenging periods in IU basketball history, led his players to many successes in the classroom and on the court and represented our university with class and integrity."
Glass' statement said that the school is seeking "more consistent, high levels of success."
Two potential candidates to replace Crean, Dayton's Archie Miller and Wichita State's Gregg Marshall, both indicated they haven't been contacted by Indiana.
"I'm not attached to any of it. I think people attach me to them," Miller said of his job being mentioned with openings. "... Just wouldn't be right as a coach if you think about anything other than [my players]."
"No one's talked to me. ... In fact, I don't even know which jobs are open," Marshall said.
Crean, 50, took over the program in 2008 after Kelvin Sampson left it in the midst of an NCAA scandal. Crean had just two returning players his first season in charge and struggled for three seasons.
Things changed during the 2011-12 season, though, with Crean leading the Hoosiers to a 15-win improvement over the previous season and an NCAA tournament berth. The Hoosiers earned a No. 1 seed during the 2012-13 season after winning the Big Ten.
Crean was 148-118 overall and 64-80 in Big Ten play heading into this season, and the Hoosiers started well before struggling and finishing 18-16 overall and 7-11 in league play. Indiana lost to Georgia Tech in the first round of the NIT.
Crean finished his career at Indiana 166-135, which is the second-worst winning percentage (.551) among Hoosiers head coaches to coach at least 100 games, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Lou Watson, who was 62-60 from 1966 to 1971, is the only coach to have a lower winning percentage (.508).
Indiana lost 16 games this season, the fourth time it did that under Crean. All other Indiana coaches have combined for two such seasons and none since 1969-70, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
"The expectations for Indiana University basketball are to perennially contend for and win multiple Big Ten championships, regularly go deep in the NCAA tournament, and win our next national championship -- and more after that. We will identify and recruit a coach who will meet these expectations." Indiana AD Fred Glass
Crean was the head coach at Marquette for nine seasons before taking over at Indiana. At Marquette, he was 190-96 overall and made five NCAA tournament appearances. He went to the Final Four in 2003 behind a breakout performance from Dwyane Wade.
Crean also spent time as an assistant coach at Michigan State, Pittsburgh, Western Kentucky and Alma College.
He signed a contract extension in 2012 to keep him in Bloomington through 2020. Crean's buyout went from $12 million to $4 million in the past two years and would have dropped to $1 million next season. His contract contains offset language that reduces the amount in the event he gets another job.
Glass said that he has been charged to find a new coach. He will not create a search committee but said that he will consult with basketball experts around the country, including former Indiana players.
"The expectations for Indiana University basketball are to perennially contend for and win multiple Big Ten championships, regularly go deep in the NCAA tournament, and win our next national championship -- and more after that," Glass said in the statement. "We will identify and recruit a coach who will meet these expectations."
Glass said he doesn't have anyone specific in mind yet and will take a look at candidates from different backgrounds.
"I'm not going to foreclose anybody if they are in the NBA," he said. "My guess is that the interest in this job will be that I won't interview everybody but any alumnus of Indiana University I will personally talk to them. I'm a big believer in Hoosiers for life. Anyone from Indiana wants to talk to me, I will talk to them."
Asked about Crean's firing and whoever the future coach of the team will be, former Indiana coach Mike Davis acknowledged that coaching at Indiana comes with high expectations and said they are warranted.
"When they pay us the money they pay us, they have the right to fire us," Davis said. "When you are not getting it done, there's no grace period. When you take a job like that, you better know what greatness is."
ESPN's Myron Medcalf contributed to this report.