LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The University of Louisville basketball has parted ways with men's basketball coach Chris Mack.
Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach Mike Pegues will serve as Interim Head Coach for the remainder of the season.
In a statement released by UofL, Interim Director of Athletics Josh Heird said, “Coaching transitions are always difficult, especially during the course of the season, but Chris and I agreed that it is in the best interests of our student-athletes that he step aside immediately."
"I'm not bitter," Mack told reporters before the announcement. "I love these guys. The university has been great to me and my family."
Asked if he had a message for the fans, he said, "I love them. They want to win. I do too."
“I think it’s just been building," . "I’m humble enough that if I’m not the right person — all good, man. I just want the best for them. They’re great kids."
The University Board of Trustees and the University of Louisville Athletic Association (ULAA) held meetings Wednesday to discuss the separation agreement. They both unanimously voted to accept the agreement which will pay Mack $4.8 million over the rest of this fiscal year and the next three years. Mack's full buyout was originally $12.75 million.
Mack had 68-36 record in his three and a half seasons, including 38-23 in the Atlantic Coast Conference and an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2019.
UofL hired Mack in March of 2018 after a season in which interim head coach David Padgett led the team to a 22-14 record and an exit in quarterfinals of the NIT.
Six months prior, UofL fired Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino amid investigations into the program.
Mack arrived in Louisville with high expectations after spending nine years leading Xavier’s basketball team to the top of the Big East. In the season before Mack came to Louisville, his Xavier Musketeers were 29-6 and a top seed in the NCAA Tournament.
“It’s time to turn the page and start building something special once again,” Mack said upon his hiring at UofL. But after a first round exit from the NCAA Tournament in his first season, Mack would never make it back. The coronavirus resulted in the cancellation of the 2020 tournament — a major blow to the Cardinals, who reached as high as number one in the nation during the regular season — and the Cardinals missed the tournament after a pandemic-shortened 2021 season.
Mack began his fourth season at UofL on suspension. In the days after the end of the 2021 season, former assistant coach Dino Guadio attempted to extort Mack in exchange for not releasing information about alleged recruiting violations by the basketball team. Guadio faced federal charges and Mack was disciplined by the university for failing to “follow University guidelines, policies, and procedures" related to Guido’s extortion attempt.
After Mack rejoined the Cardinals six games into the season, the team sputtered, going 6-8 with loses to DaPaul and Western Kentucky University.
Pegues is in his fourth year at UofL after working six seasons at Xavier (2012-18). Before his time at Xavier, Pegues spent two seasons as an assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of Delaware.
“I have complete confidence in Mike Pegues, who did a tremendous job leading the team in November and I am comforted that he has agreed to lead us the rest of the season,” said Heird.