NORMAL — The saga and awkwardness of Illinois State having a lame-duck basketball coach for the last three weeks of the season was settled Monday night.
Dan Muller, who was fired on Sunday but allowed to coach the team for the rest of the season, announced he didn't want to be a "distraction" and would be leaving immediately.
ISU associate head coach Brian Jones was named interim coach for the final five-regular season games — beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesday against Northern Iowa at Redbird Arena — and for the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.