Colorado State hired Niko Medved's top assistant to replace him as basketball coach following a quick 24-hour search. Ali Farokhmanesh, 36, was promoted Wednesday evening after Medved left earlier this week.

The university fired previous coach Ben Johnson following a disappointing 15-17 season that ended with a first-round exit in the Big Ten Tournament. Johnson, a Minneapolis native and former Gophers player, had two seasons left on his contract, requiring a $2.92 million buyout. His $1.95 million annual salary was the lowest in the conference.

The Minnesota Golden Gophers stayed within their university's lineage with the recent hiring of former Colorado State Rams coach Niko Medved to lead their basketball program, a development that brought out messages of congratulations from across the basketball world.