Frieder Calls It Quits As Arizona State Basketball Coach

Bill Frieder, who last week denied with characteristic vigor that he was going anywhere, stepped down Wednesday as Arizona State’s basketball coach with three years remaining on his contract.

The 55-year-old Frieder, one of the best-liked and most problem-plagued coaches in school history, made the announcement at his suburban home.

He said the accusation last week of minor theft in a dormitory against two of his players was the final straw.

“We had stressed with one another from Day One, and had several meetings speaking about the fact of needing to be letter-perfect this season,” Frieder said, explaining why the accusations last week against players Eddie House and Reggie Hester hit him so hard.

Frieder said he and athletic director Kevin White came to mutual understanding that it was time to take the program in a different direction.

Arizona State was 10-20 last season and has been under the cloud of a federal point-fixing investigation.