HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- Southern Mississippi coach James Green resigned Friday, ending a contentious eighth season for the former Conference USA coach of the year.
Green, who was in the final year of a four-year deal that paid
him about $210,000, will not coach the final regular season game
Saturday at home against East Carolina.
Assistant coach Jeff Norwood will be the interim coach. The
Golden Eagles begin play in the conference tournament next week in
Cincinnati.
Green led Southern Miss to a C-USA regular season title in
2000-01 and earned league coach of the year honors. The Golden
Eagles went 22-9 and played in the NIT that season.
But two losing seasons followed and the Golden Eagles were 13-13 and 6-9 in C-USA heading into Saturday's game.
Sagging attendance at Reed Green Coliseum also hurt Green. The Golden Eagles are drawing about 3,300 per game to the 8,095-seat
arena this season.
In the past two months, Green criticized the administration's
commitment to the basketball program and the fans for lack of
support.
The former Iowa State assistant replaced M.K. Turk in 1996 and
compiled a record of 123-109 with the Golden Eagles.