It wasn't just because of the celebrated confrontation with 19-year old Indiana freshman Kent Harvey on Thursday. Brand cited a number of violations of his vague zero tolerance policy that he set down on May 15 that finally pushed Knight out of office.

"No one event rose to the level of breaking the policy," Brand told a packed press conference. "The problem was we had a continued pattern of unacceptable behavior similar to the pattern of prior of May 15. Except that it had gotten worse."

Knight, who met with his players Sunday night, emerged from Assembly Hall just after midnight and addressed the throngs of students who had been gathered outside for hours.

"In the next couple days, I'm going to get together somewhere with as many students who want to come out, and then I'm going to tell you my side of this thing," Knight told the crowd, which responded with cheers. "And I think you'll be interested in hearing it."

Indiana's Code of Athletic Conduct Committee is due to issue a final definition of zero tolerance this week. Meanwhile, Brand took it upon himself to define it for Knight since fining and suspending him on May 15.

Indiana president Myles Brand said Knight's behavior 'had gotten worse' since getting a second chance. (AP)

After years of ignoring Knight and his conduct the Indiana administration at least took a stand on its most visible employee. Knight's boss told him not to screw up. Knight did.

That ended Knight's 29-year career at Indiana during which he won three national championships and won the fawning admiration of the entire state. Not so ironically, it wasn't until Knight's success waned in recent years that he became accountable for his sometimes-boorish behavior.

Several incidents since May 15, including the incident with Harvey, led "a large majority" of Indiana's board of trustees to support the decision to fire Knight according to Fred Eichorn, vice president of the board.

Like the man himself, Knight's final months were complicated. Brand said that since May 15:

• There had been an "unwillingness ... to work within the normal chain of command" in the Indiana athletic department. That meant deferring to his boss, athletic director Clarence Doninger.
• Knight has attempted several times to embarrass Indiana. Brand said Knight made "angry and inflammatory remarks about university officials".
• Knight, in recent months, had refused to participate in Varsity Club booster events in Indianapolis, Bloomington and Chicago.
• Knight "verbally abused" a high-ranking female university official in front of witnesses.
• There has been a general lack of cooperation with the sanctions handed down on May 15.

Knight was fined $30,000 and suspended for three games that day for a series of incidents, some of which were alleged by former player Neil Reed. It was then that Brand announced the implementation of a zero-tolerance policy.

Ethically, Brand said, Knight deserved one last chance.

Knight's position started to deteriorate on Friday when Harvey alleged that the coach had grabbed his arm and cursed him. Harvey told reporters he called out saying, "What's up, Knight?" while he waited in line for football tickets.

Knight then called an impromptu press conference Friday to give his side of the story. He said he would be "an absolute moron" to grab Harvey in a violent manner. While the two sides gave differing accounts to the severity of Knight's touch, Brand said, " ... it is not in dispute that the coach reached out and grasped the young man's arm in an unwelcome fashion."

Finally, in one final swipe at Brand, Knight refused to cancel a fishing trip to Canada Friday to stay in town to discuss the Harvey incident. Knight went on the trip and was contacted by Brand Sunday morning. He declined the option given by Brand of resigning. The 29-year reign ended with a phone call from Brand. He was through.

"Coach did say he did not feel he did do anything wrong," Brand said. "He did try to change my mind. He did not react angrily. He talked about his success at Indiana."

Knight's 763 career victories and three national championships weren't enough to save him. It did not, and will not, end quietly. At least two Indiana players said they would seriously consider transferring if one of Knight's assistants aren't hired as interim coach.

"It turns out president Brand is being a coward now, not (considering) coach Knight and what he's done here at IU," said Indiana redshirt freshman George Leach. "You can't throw away coach Knight and everything he's done. He's put in 30 years labor here. President Brand and the trustees have taken my dream away from me."

Sophomore Dane Fife was also upset. He said that if either assistant Mike Davis or John Treloar are not retained, "I would greatly consider leaving."

"We're very disappointed. We just feel that Coach Knight has been treated unfairly. He has been held to a higher standard ... We respect president Brand's decision. It doesn't mean we have to agree with it because we don't."

It was clear, though, sentiment had turned toward Knight when Brand was asked about the Harvey incident. Would the press conference had been called had it never happened?

"Maybe not today but my guess is shortly," Brand said. "If that was the only incident that took place you would not be here today. But it's the unacceptable pattern of behavior. We would have been here in a short time."

Knight will be paid his base salary of $170,000, through June 30, 2002.

The Associated Press contributed to this report