Wednesday, January 02, 2002
UK's Smith set to face a former student
'Mixed emotions' for Tulane game
The Associated Press
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky coach Tubby Smith felt immense pride in beating one of his mentors following Saturday's blowout victory over Rick Pitino's new Louisville squad. But Smith hopes one of his own former apprentices, Shawn Finney, misses out on those feelings of satisfaction when the sixth-ranked Wildcats (8-2) face Tulane today at Freedom Hall.
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TULANE at UK
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• When: 8 p.m. today.
• Where: Freedom Hall (18,865), Louisville.
• Records: Tulane 9-2, Kentucky 8-2.
• TV: Fox Sports Net.
• Radio: WSAI-AM (1530).
TULANE
Player-Ht-Yr-PPG
Nick Sinville-6-6-Jr.-13.4
Wayne Tinsley-6-5-So.-7.2
Brandon Brown-6-8-Jr.-18.6
Brandon Spann-6-1-Jr.-14.3
Waitari Marsh-6-3-Jr.-13.3
Coach: Shawn Finney (17-23, second season; same overall).
KENTUCKY
Player-Ht-Yr-PPG
Tayshaun Prince-6-9-Sr.-18.6
Jules Camara-6-10-Jr.-3.6
Cliff Hawkins-6-1-So.-8.4
Gerald Fitch-6-3-So.-7.1
Keith Bogans-6-5-Jr.-13.7
Coach: Tubby Smith (118-35, fifth season; 242-97, 11th season overall).
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“I'd rather not,” Smith said when asked if he liked the idea of matching up against a team led by a friend. “But we've got to play somebody in Louisville.
“You always have mixed emotions playing against your friends, especially somebody you've known and worked with for so long. That makes it tough to do.”
Finney first met Smith when both were assistant coaches at schools in Richmond, Va. — Smith at Virginia Commonwealth and Finney at Randolph Macon.
Finney was an assistant at Tulsa under J.D. Barnett when he began his nine-year association with Smith.
When Barnett, who coached Smith at High Point, was fired in 1991, he recommended to the new coach — Smith — that he retain Finney.
“Shawn is a very intelligent person with a calculating mind,” Smith said. “And he's extremely competitive and loves the game of basketball.”
Finney, whose squad is 8-2 after a tough 9-21 inaugural season, said he doesn't expect Smith to approach today's game any differently than he would any other game against any other coach.
“He's kind of a father figure, best friend and mentor all wrapped up into one,” said Finney, 39, who worked for Smith at Tulsa, Georgia and Kentucky before leaving for his first head coaching job at Tulane in 2000.
Tulane has four players averaging in double figures, led by junior center Brandon Brown's 16.6 points. Frontcourt mate Nick Sinville has added 13.4 points and 6.5 rebounds a game.
The Green Wave's backcourt has packed an equal amount of punch as juniors Brandon Spann and Waitari Marsh have averaged 14.3 and 13.3 points, respectively.
Spann had 21 points and five assists in Tulane's last game, a 77-66 loss to Mississippi State.
“They have one of the top backcourts we're going to face,” Smith said.
“They can both penetrate, they can both shoot, they can both score. ... Our No.1 goal in this game is to contain their dribble penetration.”
Finney's time spent with several of Kentucky's upperclassmen, including senior Tayshaun Prince and junior guard Keith Bogans, also might give him an advantage over his mentor.
“I'm pretty sure he knows what we like to do and what we don't like to do,” Prince said.
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