LOUISVILLE, Ky. (LEX 18) — University of Louisville head basketball coach Chris Mack is officially out of a job.
Mack negotiated a settlement with the board that brings his 4-year tenure with the Cardinals to an end.
According to U of L Athletics, Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach Mike Pegues will serve as Interim Head Coach for the remainder of the season.
The former head coach confirmed the news Wednesday afternoon, saying he loved his time at Louisville but knew there was an expectation to "win games."
"To wake up every day these last four years as the head coach of the University of Louisville has been an opportunity that I will cherish,” said Mack. “Over the past 50 years, this position has been among the most coveted in all of college sports and I count myself lucky to have been a part of this university’s storied history.
The move comes after the Cardinals lost for a fifth time in six games Monday night, making the team 11-9 this season, 5-5 in the ACC. Four of the last five games have resulted in double-digit losses, the first such stretch since 1940.
Mack's contract with the University of Louisville was set to pay him more than $4 million a season and runs through March of 2025.
Pegues takes over the program on an interim basis and the search begins. The wish list might start with Kenny Payne, a former U of L player who is an assistant with the New York Knicks right now. U of L fans are also hoping for Bruce Pearl, who has Auburn at number one in the country.
