Editor's note: This story has been updated.

Update (March 26, 9:38 p.m.): Cross released a statement on his Twitter account.

"I am extremely proud of what we have accomplished in my time as head coach of my alma mater," Cross said in the statement. "We were able to build a program based on hard work, integrity, and doing things the right way."

Read the full statement below.

Since I have not been able to respond to everyone that has reached out, I decided to write a statement about the events of today! Two things that I believe & will continue to do: #TakeTheStairs & #TrustTheGoodLord! pic.twitter.com/VmZuAKhqCn — Scott Cross (@CoachScottCross) March 27, 2018

Original story: UT-Arlington has fired men's basketball coach Scott Cross, the school announced Monday afternoon.

Cross, the winningest coach in program history, led the team for 12 seasons. In 2017-18, the Mavericks reached the Sun Belt conference tournament's championship game, where they lost to Georgia State and fell one game shy of the NCAA tournament.

UTA athletic director Jim Baker said he "agonized" over the decision during the last two weeks, but ultimately wants a program that consistently reaches the NCAA tournament. The men's basketball team's only appearance came in 2008.

"Some people say, 'Well, you're UTA,' you should be happy,'"Baker said. "That's not our president. That's not me. We want to be the best at what we do. Your aspirations have to be that you can get to the NCAAs every year. That's what we want."

Cross, who had two years left on his contract, is currently working on a settlement agreement with the university, according to Baker. Cross didn't return phone calls from the News.

In 12 seasons, Cross was 225-161, the school's leader in all-time wins. He's also the only coach in program history to finish with a plus-.500 career winning percentage. Cross' 12-year stint trails only his predecessor, Eddie McCarter, who coached the Mavericks for 13 seasons and won 162 games.

According to Cross' bio on the school's page, UTA only reached a postseason tournament once in the 46 years before he was hired, including Cross' time as a player from 1995-98.

In 2017, UTA set the program record for most wins in a single season (27), won the Sun Belt's regular-season title and reached the NIT quarterfinals.

The firing of Cross had nothing to do with any problems within the program, a source said, and more about Baker wanting to handpick his own coach.

Baker and Cross have had a tumultuous relationship since the summer of 2016, a source said, and it's only deteriorated since then. Baker was never satisfied by the consecutive 20-win seasons and conference championship, wanting Cross to match the nation's top mid-major programs.

Even after Cross led UTA to the best season in program history last season the coach's end-of-year meeting with Baker didn't go well. Voices were raised amid Baker telling Cross he wanted UTA to be the "next Gonzaga."

Cross, seeing the writing on the wall, tried to leave UTA after last season - despite a stacked senior class - knowing that he would be hard-pressed to live up to Baker's lofty expectations unless the AD was prepared to up the basketball budget by about $10 million to match Gonzaga.

Cross interviewed for the New Mexico head coaching job last April and was selected as one of three finalists before New Mexico State's Paul Weir was hired.

Cross anticipated being fired after he lost in the Sun Belt tournament title game earlier this month to Georgia State, a source said, although he still held out some hope he'd get one more season at UTA. Cross expressed interest in four head coaching jobs over the last few weeks, trying to get a jump-start on his future.

With the two best players returning from the 2017 team, senior forward Kevin Hervey and senior guard Erick Neal, UTA was picked to win the Sun Belt's coaches to repeat as conference champs in 2018. UTA went 10-8 in conference play and finished fourth.

In the Sun Belt conference tournament, the Mavericks reached the championship game and lost to Georgia State, which secured the Sun Belt's automatic bid for the NCAA tournament.

Hervey finished as the program's second-leading scorer and leading rebounder, while Neal sits third in all-time points and holds the school's total assists record.

Baker said a NCAA tournament appearance in either of the last two years could have changed what happened on Monday.

"I think that's a different conversation, absolutely," Baker said.

Neal posted his disagreement with Cross' firing on his Twitter account Friday, saying he didn't know what was going on with UTA's administration but it wasn't right at all.

"They made the biggest mistake ever today," Neal said.

Idk what’s going on upstairs with the UTA basketball team but it’s not right at all. They made the biggest mistake ever today. I really hate that I missed the meeting — Erick Neal (@ErickNeal01) March 26, 2018

Hervey agreed with Neal's sentiment. In a post on his Twitter account, Hervey noted the success the program has made in recent success before thanking Scott and his assistants who will not be retained.

"I wish nothing but the best for you and your families, and couldn't have asked for a better staff!!" Hervey said.

Molded me from merely a boy, into a man. We had the best 4 year run in uta history. I wish nothing but the best for you and your families, and couldn’t have asked for a better staff!! May greater things lie ahead in you, and your families future 💯👌🏾 @CoachScottCross — Kevin Hervey (@kherv_25) March 26, 2018

The firing comes six years after UTA opened the College Park Center, the home for UTA's team. The university spent $78 million on the 218,000-square foot arena in Arlington.

Cross did not return phone calls from The News on Monday.

Baker said the school will conduct a national search to find the next coach.

Texas Tech men's basketball assistant coach Chris Ogden is expected to emerge as one of the favorites for the UTA job, according to a source familiar with the situation. Baker and Ogden have Longhorns' ties.

Ogden played four seasons at Texas from 2000 to 2003 and played on NCAA Tournament teams each year under then-coach Rick Barnes while Baker was working on a 20-year stint as a Texas athletics administrator.

Ogden, 37, just finished his second season at Tech, helping lead the Red Raiders to their first Elite Eight appearance in school history. Ogden didn't return phone calls Monday from The News.

Baker, who was hired the same day College Park Center opened, said he felt he needed "new leadership to match my philosophy and match what my dream is," which is playing on the sport's biggest postseason stage.

This year, 11-seed Loyola-Chicago is playing in the Final Four. Maryland-Baltimore College became the first 16-seed to win an NCAA tournament game, and Stephen F. Austin State almost beat 3-seed Texas Tech two seasons after reaching the Sweet 16.

"We want to be that Loyola," Baker said. "We want to be UMBC. We want to be the SFAs. Those schools are getting there, so we want to be there."