Nebraska athletics began a new era in 2011, as the Cornhuskers became members of the Big Ten Conference. The fall of 2011 also marked the opening of the Hendricks Training Complex, a new facility attached to the Bob Devaney Sports Center for both basketball programs to train and practice. In 2011–12, Sadler returned an experienced team with high expectations, but finished only 12–18. On March 9, 2012, athletic director Tom Osborne fired Sadler after six seasons. At his firing press conference, Sadler emotionally addressed the media: "I wanted to be the guy that won the first NCAA tournament game. It didn’t happen. That's the bottom line. We can all sit here and talk about this that whatever. It all comes down to winning. That's what it should come down to."