Smith in familiar setting as Red Raiders prep for Butler
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Texas Tech coach Tubby Smith wandered over to the sideline midway through an open team practice Wednesday in preparation for the Red Raiders’ first-round NCAA Tournament game against Butler.
He waved to Texas Tech fans and called out it was good to see them. Others that he greeted were old friends from his early days living in North Carolina. Smith played college ball 90 miles southwest of the state’s capital city at High Point University from 1969 to 1973. He also spent two years coaching at Hoke County High in Raeford, 1977 -78 and 1978-79.
It was another life-coming-full-circle moment for the Big 12 Coach of the Year. His eighth-seeded Red Raiders (19-12) face No. 9 seed Butler (23-10) at 11:40 a.m. CT at PNC Arena, home to North Carolina State.
“It’s good to be back here,” Smith said. “I have a lot of old friends and relatives that live in this area. I met my wife at High Point. So, yeah, it’s a special moment and special time to be back in North Carolina , especially this area, coaching and bringing the Red Raiders back here and bringing my wife and family back here, too.”
Texas Tech is the fifth team Smith has guided to an NCAA Tournament, a record that ties him with Oklahoma’s Lon Kruger. He’s at his fifth Division I college job because he was unceremoniously fired by Minnesota at the end of the 2012-13 season despite a 21-13 record and advancing past the NCAA Tournament’s first round.
It should be noted that since then Minnesota has yet to return to the NCAA and is sitting at home this spring following an 8-23 season. And don’t overlook the fact that the athletic director that fired him, Norwood Teague, who grew up in Raleigh, was forced to resign in August for sexually harassing Minnesota co-workers.
Smith, who guided Kentucky to the 1997-98 NCAA title, wasn’t unemployed long. It took two losing seasons of rebuilding, but the 64-year-old coach has Texas Tech back in the NCAA for the first time since 2007.
“You’re grateful that you get this opportunity, because we did get fired at our last job,” Smith said. “I’m really grateful that Kirby Hocutt, our athletic director, and Mr. (Robert) Duncan, our chancellor and president, called me the day after I was fired.
“That’s why we’ve enjoying this opportunity, because it was -- it is a gift. It is a privilege to be able to coach, and do something that I’ve loved doing for so many years. I’m very appreciative of that.”
Smith said “gift,” but three starters that met with the media Wednesday, Toddrick Gotcher, Justin Gray and Keenen Evans, used another word: “blessing.”
Especially Gotcher; the fifth-year senior might have played his career without an NCAA trip or winning season without Smith’s arrival.
“His impact has been so good for us,” said Gotcher, a 6-foot-4, 205-pounder from Garland, Texas, averaging 11.1 points a game. “He’s changed the whole program and he teaches us life lessons. He teaches us things on the court, off the court. It’s amazing to see a legend come to Texas Tech and corral us up and get the right guys in and change the program around.”
Gray is a 6-6, 210-pound sophomore guard Smith recruited out of Tampa, Fla.
“Like Toddrick and Keenan said, it’s been a blessing,” Gray added. “He’s had our backs through ups and downs. Just him recruiting the right guys to the program speaks of his character as a coach on and off the court. Our success this season is a tribute to that. I couldn’t be more proud of our teammates and coaching staff. What we’ve done this season -- we’re not done yet.”
Smith added his redemption at Texas Tech with a fifth NCAA team is in some ways more gratifying than his NCAA title at Kentucky, a comment that will be viewed as apocalyptic in Lexington.
“To be able to do that tells me that we have a philosophy, that we’ve done things the right way, because people (otherwise) weren’t going to hire you. They’re not going to hire you unless you’re successful at the prior university. So, I’m really pleased about that.”
So are the Texas Tech fans he greeted at PNC Arena, back in Lubbock and anywhere else they’ll be following Thursday’s return to March Madness.