Texas Tech hires Tubby Smith
One week after he was fired at Minnesota, Tubby Smith has agreed to become the next coach at Texas Tech, the school announced Monday night.
Texas Tech will hold a news conference Tuesday to introduce Smith.
Smith, 61, will take over for interim coach Chris Walker, who went 11-20 this season and just 3-15 in Big 12 play. Billy Gillispie had resigned as head coach in September amid an investigation by the school over allegations of player mistreatment and possible violations of NCAA rules regarding practice time. Gillispie also has health concerns.
The Red Raiders have not been to the NCAA Tournament since 2007, when Bob Knight was the coach.
Smith won a national championip while at Kentucky in 1998, and he took Minnesota to the NCAA Tournament in three of his six seasons with the Gophers.
The Gophers beat UCLA in their opening game of the NCAA Tournament this season for Minnesota's first tournament win since 1997. That was not enough for him to keep his job, though.
Smith's Gophers won 20 games or more in five of his six seasons, including a 21-13 record this past season. But they were just 46-62 in Big Ten play and never finished higher than sixth.
