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We’re about to see the Kentucky Wildcats’ full non-conference schedule, and it will include the return of Tubby Smith to Rupp Arena.
Current head coach John Calipari has announced that Smith and his High Point Panthers will come to Lexington on December 31st, marking the first time he’s been at Rupp as a coach since leaving the school in 2007.
On Dec. 31 we are going to host @HPUMBB and welcome back @CoachTubbySmith in @Rupp_Arena for the first time since his days as our coach. We are working on some ways to honor Tubby and his time here and I can’t wait to fill in the #BBN in the near future.
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) August 30, 2021
In three seasons at High Point, who plays in the Big South Conference, Smith has gone 34–53. They went 9-15 last season.
In 10 seasons at Kentucky from 1997-2007, Smith went 263-83 and won the 1998 National Championship while also reaching the Elite Eight three times. He was also an assistant at Kentucky under Rick Pitino from 1989-1991.
After leaving Kentucky in 2007, Smith has had additional coaching stints at Minnesota, Texas Tech and Memphis. His career record is 631–355, so the 70-year-old native of Maryland has a chance to reach the 700-win milestone before his career ends.