BERKELEY, Calif. -- California has fired basketball coach Ben Braun following another disappointing season in which the Golden Bears missed the NCAA tournament.

Braun spent 12 years at Cal and made the tournament five times. But the Bears only went to the NCAA tournament once in his final five seasons, leading to the decision Wednesday by athletic director Sandy Barbour.

"This was an extremely difficult decision that was undertaken with great care and diligence," Barbour said in a prepared statement. "However, in final analysis, I have determined that it is time for Cal to seek new leadership in our men's basketball program."

During his tenure with the Bears, Braun compiled a 219-154 record and guided the team to five NCAA Tournament berths and three National Invitation Tournaments. His first squad in 1996-97 reached the NCAA Sweet 16, earning him Pac-10 Coach of the Year honors, while he guided the 1998-99 team to the NIT championship.

After reaching the postseason in six of his first seven years, which included four trips to NCAAs and two NITs, Braun led Cal to one NCAA Tournament and one NIT the past five seasons.

However, the Bears have placed eighth or ninth in the Pac-10 three of the last four years. Cal was 141-79 overall and 71-55 in the Pac-10 under Braun from 1997-2003, but 79-75 overall and 39-51 in league games from 2004-08.

Cal completed its 2007-08 campaign with a 73-56 loss at Ohio State Monday in the second round of the NIT. The Bears were 17-16 on the year and finished ninth in the Pac-10 with a 6-12 mark.

Braun voiced his disappointment in not being able to continue on with the program.

"I'd like to thank the Cal community for 12 great years of support," Braun said. "I've had the privilege to coach at one of the top university's in the country, and I'm proud of the program we've built. Going to eight postseason tournaments has been very special. I'm obviously disappointed that my staff and I won't be able to coach this team next year, and I feel they will be very successful."

Braun was hired as Cal's men's basketball coach in September 1996 from Eastern Michigan and guided the team through a three-year probationary period that was caused by NCAA violations during the tenure of head coach Todd Bozeman. In that first year, he steered the Bears to a 23-9 record and a second-place Pac-10 finish, and Ed Gray was named Pac-10 Player of the Year.