SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Tubby Smith and Richard Pitino met for a pregame handshake Sunday that was as awkward as you could expect for a 64-year-old coach greeting the kid he has known since the age of 6 -- who just happens to coach his former University of Minnesota basketball program.
If Smith and Pitino had their choice, they would have avoided playing each other in this week's Puerto Rico Tip-Off tournament.
But there they were matched up in the fifth-place game Sunday. And this round went to Smith.
Minnesota trailed 11-2 to start the game and never put enough pressure on Texas Tech to grab the momentum in a disappointing 81-68 loss.