PHILADELPHIA (AP) — La Salle fired coach Ashley Howard on Monday after four seasons without a winning record.
Howard, once a top assistant under Jay Wright at Villanova, went 45-71 in four seasons and finished 11-19 this season. The Explorers have been to just one NCAA Tournament since 1992 and have found little success in the Atlantic 10.
“Unfortunately, I was not able to lead the program to the heights and expectations that were set. I am better for my experience as a head coach at La Salle," Howard said Monday.
Associate head coach Kyle Griffin will serve as interim head coach.
Tom Gola, a three-time All-America, led the program to consecutive trips to the NCAA championship game in 1954 and 1955. The Explorers won the 1954 national championship and then, almost nothing after ’55. They won a single tournament game in 1983 and in 1990. They went to the tournament in 1992 and advanced to the Sweet 16 as the No. 13 seed in 2013.
___
More AP coverage of March Madness: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
