Cal fires Braun after 12 seasons

California fired Coach Ben Braun on Wednesday after another disappointing season in which the Golden Bears failed to make the NCAA tournament.

Braun, 54, spent 12 years at Cal and made the tournament five times. But the Bears only went to the NCAA tournament once in his last five seasons, leading to the decision by Athletic Director Sandy Barbour.

“This was an extremely difficult decision that was undertaken with great care and diligence,” Barbour said. “However, in the final analysis, I have determined that it is time for Cal to seek new leadership in our men’s basketball program.”

Cal finished in ninth place in the Pacific 10 Conference this season, going 17-16 overall and 6-12 in the conference.

The Bears made the NIT, where they were eliminated in the second round by Ohio State on Monday night.

Braun leaves Cal with a 219-154 record. Cal won the NIT in 1999 and made three straight trips to the NCAA tournament from 2001 to ‘03, before struggling in recent years. The Bears have been eighth or ninth in the Pac-10 in three of the last four years.

According to Braun’s most recent contract extension that went through the 2010-11 season, he is due a $985,000 buyout.

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Kevin O’Neill says he expects to return to Lute Olson’s Arizona staff and succeed the Hall of Famer when he retires.

“As I sit here today I am planning on being the next coach,” O’Neill said at a news conference. “Lute is planning on fulfilling his contract and that is a long way off before any of that stuff happens. That is the least thing I am concerned about right now.”

O’Neill became interim coach Nov. 4 after Olson took a leave of absence. When Olson recently announced that he would resume coaching next season -- he is signed through 2011 -- speculation arose that O’Neill might leave instead of returning to his job as an assistant.

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Alabama junior forward Richard Hendrix decided to make himself available for the NBA draft but is leaving the door open to return by not hiring an agent.

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Kosta Koufos scored 21 points to lead Ohio State (22-13) to a 74-63 victory over Dayton (23-11) in an NIT quarterfinal at Columbus, Ohio.

The Buckeyes will face Mississippi (24-10), which beat Virginia Tech (21-14), 81-72, in Blacksburg, Va. Chris Warren led the Rebels with 22 points.