NATCHEZ — In a season of turnover at Alcorn State University, men’s basketball coach Samuel West was the next to go.

West, a Natchez native, was fired Tuesday after five years at the helm of the Alcorn State program, a university official said.

Officials said a release with more information about the firing would be issued today.

West’s termination took place the same day that Darren Hamilton took over as ASU athletic director for interim AD Wiley Jones.

West is the second Alcorn State coach to lose his job in the past few months.

Alcorn football coach Johnny Thomas was also let go following 10 years in charge of the program after the Braves finished 2-8 this past season.

West and the Alcorn basketball program suffered through a rough 2008 season, finishing with a 7-24 overall record and a record of 6-12 in the SWAC. The Braves failed to make the SWAC postseason tournament.

Of the 341 teams in Division I, Alcorn was ranked 336 in the ratings percentage index, according to collegerpi.com.

West was an assistant coach at Alcorn under Davey Whitney for seven years before taking over as head coach in 2003.

His head coaching record at the school was 44-103.

Alcorn never won more than 11 games and never lost less than 18 under West in any given season.