Isiah Thomas fired by FIU after 3 years

MIAMI -- Isiah Thomas was fired as Florida International University basketball coach Friday after his team went 26-65 in three seasons.

Thomas, the former Knicks president and coach, took over at FIU in 2009.

In a statement released by the university, FIU director of sports and entertainment Pete Garcia said the school has "decided to take the program in a different direction."

Thomas did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Thomas signed a five-year deal with FIU, taking nothing in base salary for his first season and agreeing to a deal in which he would receive nearly half of any gross revenues from ticket sales, commissions collected on food and beverage concessions and sponsorships.

But FIU never generated the buzz that the school and Thomas envisioned. The Panthers averaged 1,071 fans at home this season, nearly four times that many on the road.

"We just needed a break here or a break there, and it's not happening for us," Thomas said last month, shortly after FIU's 8-21 season ended with a loss to eventual Sun Belt Tournament champion Western Kentucky. "I know we're getting there. We've had so many close games. If we keep working, good things will happen."

A month later, FIU made the call to go another way.

-- AP