Gophers men’s basketball coach Ben Johnson made progress last season, but key players entering the transfer portal set him and his team back. (Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Johnson, a Minneapolis native, is a Minnesota alum, having finished his playing career there after spending his first two seasons at Northwestern.

Another Big Ten basketball job is open. Minnesota fired Ben Johnson after four seasons, Director of Athletics Mark Coyle announced Thursday morning. The Gophers (15-17) had their season end on Wednesday when they lost to Northwestern in the opening game of the Big Ten Tournament.