Fresno, Calif. ? Jerry Tarkanian retired from coaching college basketball Friday, tossing in his chewed-up towel after a career that mixed success with scandal.

The 71-year-old coach will become a consultant for Fresno State, his alma mater, where he coached the last seven years.

Tarkanian won an NCAA title with UNLV in 1990 and is the fourth winningest coach in major college basketball. But he was hoping for a better exit.

“My intentions were this was going to be a great season and this would be a great way to walk away and head for the pasture,” Tarkanian told fans and players on the campus. “I think every coach eventually has to head for the pasture and I stayed longer than usual.”

The Bulldogs ended their season Wednesday with an 81-75 loss to Temple in the NIT. They finished 19-15, only the second time in Tarkanian’s 31 years in Division I his team failed to win 20 games.

Tarkanian finished with a 778-202 record.

Tarkanian will be paid $120,000 a year to raise money for the Save Mart Center, the basketball arena Fresno State is building.