La Salle fires coach Ashley Howard after 4 difficult seasons

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.

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