After weeks of speculation, Sidney Lowe is out as head coach of the N.C. State men’s basketball team. Lowe finished with an overall record of 86-78, while winning only 25 of 80 games in ACC play during his 5-year tenure.

“I was very fortunate to coach at my alma mater,” Lowe said. “I feel very blessed to have had this opportunity and I look forward to the next challenge that the Lord puts in front of me. This is my family here, the Wolfpack family. I appreciate every opportunity. I appreciate the opportunity Lee Fowler gave me to come back here.”

With Lowe out, Athletics Director Debbie Yow has now turned her focus to finding the next head coach.

When asked about his plans going forward, Lowe said he had not given it any thought yet but was optimistic about the future.

“No, I haven’t [thought about the future] but something will come up though.”

The news about Lowe’s resignation began to trickle out earlier Tuesday after the end of the year meeting between Lowe and Athletic Director Debbie Yow.

“I had conversation with coach Lowe today that started at noon and lasted about it hour,” Yow said. “It was two people in the room who care about each other and simply disagree about the way in which to get to the next level in the program. He is a good man and I think a lot of him personally.”

However, Yow said the decision was not an easy one and one that ws not decided until Tueday right before the meeting.

“When I have a very important decision to make I turn it over in my mind every way I can, inside out, upside down and I gather information,” Yow said. “So it is accurate to say the decision was not made until today.”

Lowe had two years remaining on his contract and his buyout is worth $900,000, which Yow made a point to say that he will receive every “penny of it.”

Even with Lowe stepping down, Yow made sure to stress to the former coach that he is always welcome at State and that the former point guard is irreplaceable in the hearts of the Wolfpack.

“One of the things I said to him is I always want him to be apart of the Wolfpack family,” Yow said. “I don’t ever want him to be awkward about being in our world and in our lives. There is no one like him; no one will ever fill his position in the hearts of people in Wolfpack Nation.”

The former State player attempted to bring the program back to the level it was at when he won a National Championship during the 1983 season, by bringing in some of the best talent in the nation over the course of his five seasons, but was unable to have that talent translate over onto the court.

Lowe built up high expectations heading into the beginning of this past season with a talented group of freshmen, led by forward C.J. Leslie, and the return of senior forward Tracy Smith, who was named second team All-ACC a year before.

However, an early knee injury to Smith sidelined him for most of the season. From there, the Pack was unable to ever get back on track finishing 15-16 (5-11 in ACC), with its final loss during the first round of the ACC Tournament against Maryland.

“This is my school, I love this school,” Lowe said after the game. “I pored my sweat for four years here and gave it my best. It was my hope and dream to come back here and do something special again.”

Lowe was originally hired in 2006, after former N.C. State coach Herb Sendek bolted to Arizona State. After a very public coaching search led by former Athletic Director Lee Fowler, which included State being turned down Rick Barnes and John Calipari, Lowe finally accepted the job.

In Lowe’s first season, the first time college head coach started off strong, beating Carolina and Duke once each during his first regular season while making a run in the ACC Tournament before losing to Carolina in the championship game. That ACC tournament run helped earn the team it’s first of two NIT bids.

However, it was downhill from there as Lowe failed to guide any of his five teams to an NCAA Tournament appearance while struggling against the Triangle rivals, going just 1-16 against Duke and Carolina the next four seasons.

Lowe made his name coaching at the NBA level, starting as an assistant coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves from 1991-1993, after he ended his NBA playing career. Halfway through the 1992-1993 season, Lowe took over as head coach for the Timberwolves, compiling a 33-102 record during a season and a half.

Lowe then served as an assistant coach to the Cleveland Cavaliers for five seasons until he got another shot as a head coach for the Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies where Lowe finished with a 46-126 record over three seasons.

He resigned from the head coaching position in the 2002 season and began working as an assistant coach for Flip Saunders until he took the State job in 2006.