A timeline of Paul Hewitt's career at Georgia Tech. He was fired Saturday after 11 seasons as the Yellow Jackets' coach.
April 6, 2000: Hewitt is hired as Tech's 12th head coach.
March 15, 2001: Hewitt guides the Jackets to a 17-13 record and 8-8 finish in the ACC. The season ends with a 66-62 loss to St. Joseph's in the first round of the NCAA tournament. It was Tech's first appearance in the NCAA tournament since 1996.
March 8, 2002: Tech is beaten by Wake Forest in the ACC tournament to finish 15-16, 7-9 in the ACC.
March 26, 2003: Tech is defeated by Texas Tech in the quarterfinals of the NIT to finish the season 16-15, 7-9.
Nov. 26, 2003: Tech defeats top-ranked Connecticut 77-61 to advance to the preseason NIT championship game.
March 19-April 3 2004: Tech wins five consecutive NCAA tournament games to reach the championship game for the first time in school history. The Jackets are defeated by Connecticut 82-73. They finish the season 28-10.
April 15, 2004: Hewitt's contract is amended to include a provision that causes the contract to automatically rollover each year. It is, in effect, a lifetime contract that includes a $7.2 million buyout should Tech decide to fire Hewitt.
March 20, 2005: Hewitt leads what is arguably his most talented team to the second round of the NCAA tournament, where it is beaten by Louisville 76-54. The team was beset by injuries for most of the season and finishes the season 20-12, 8-8.
March 9, 2006: After three consecutive winning seasons, the Jackets finish with an 11-17 record, including an 0-for-10 mark on opponent's courts. The inability to win on the road becomes a disturbing trend.
March 16, 2007: Tech bounces back with another NCAA tournament appearance, albeit a first-round loss to UNLV. The Jackets finish the season 20-12 with an 8-8 mark in the ACC. They go 1-8 on opponent's courts. It is Hewitt's third 20-win season in Atlanta.
March 14, 2008: Tech loses to Duke in the second round of the ACC tournament. It finishes 15-17, 7-9.
March 13, 2009: Tech loses to Florida State in the second round of the ACC tournament. It finishes 12-19, 2-4. Tech posts its worst conference mark since an 0-14 record in 1980-81.
April 9, 2009: Tech breaks ground on the Zelnak Center, an $8.5-million practice facility adjacent to Alexander Memorial Coliseum. The construction of the facility also was a stipulation of the 2004 contract.
February 2010: He sends out a series of tweets that seem to challenge the fan base: "Are you a critic or a supporter of this team? Supporters will continue to watch this team fight." He later implies that the comments were directed toward the local media and that his team was a victim of "cyberbullying."
March 21, 2010: Tech is beaten by Ohio State in the second round of the NCAA tournament. The team finished 23-13, 7-9. It also played for the ACC championship for the second time under Hewitt. It is the fourth 20-win season for Hewitt at Tech.
March 25, 2010: After a quick courtship, Hewitt withdraws his name from consideration for the vacant job at St. John's. "I strongly believe in what Georgia Tech can do for young people, and I am committed to returning the Tech basketball program to the level of success our fans have come to expect," he said. "We took a step in that direction this past season, and I fully intend to continue on that path."
April 2, 2010: Gani Lawal declares for the NBA draft. He also did so the previous season, but elected to return to school for his junior season. Freshman Derrick Favors, arguably the biggest recruit Hewitt ever landed, declares for the NBA draft a week later. During Hewitt's time, at least five players left school early for the NBA.
Nov. 15, 2010: Tech loses at Kennesaw State 80-63. It is the Owls' first win over a team from one of the power conferences and continues the trend of Tech's inability to earn victories on the road. The Jackets' previous road win came Jan. 16, 2010 at North Carolina. The loss joins other notable defeats such as Illinois-Chicago (twice), UNC-Greensboro, Winthrop and IUPUI under Hewitt.
March 10, 2011: The Jackets lose to Virginia Tech in the first round of the ACC tournament. The loss snaps a two-game win streak. The Jackets, the conference's worst shooting team, lose eight consecutive games in the conference at one point. They didn't win on an opponent's court until defeating Wake Forest in the next-to-last regular-season game.
March 12, 2011: Hewitt is fired by athletic director Dan Radakovich.
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