Friday Headlines: Tubby Smith Edition

For what has been a rollercoaster of a year, the Kentucky Wildcats will close out 2021 with a matchup against the High Point Panthers — a team coached by former Wildcats head coach and National Champion Tubby Smith. Smith will be honored at 11:40, approximately 20 minutes before tip-off, with a ceremony celebrating the retirement of his jersey.

Smith won his National Championship in 1998 — his first season with the Wildcats. It was his best season, coaching Kentucky to a 35-4 record. He went on to coach another nine seasons at Kentucky with a combined record of 263-83. Smith made five appearances in the Sweet Sixteen trips while making the NCAA Tournament in all 10 of his seasons at…