Tubby Smith Returns To Reynolds Center For Tulsa-Memphis Matchup

Wednesday night, a familiar face will return to the Reynolds Center.

Tubby Smith will coach his first game at TU since he left the program in 1995.

Now, current Hurricane coach Frank Haith counts Smith as a friend and says he was instrumental in getting him to Tulsa.

"He told me when I took the job that, ‘Frank, you're going to love living in Tulsa.’ It's the best place I've ever lived,” Haith stated. “I've known [Smith] a long time, and we have a friendship. As a young, African-American coach in this business, he's one that I think we all look up to. He's won a national championship, and I think he's a hall-of-famer. I think when the ball's tossed up, you're just trying to coach your team."

Smith led the Hurricane to back-to-back Sweet Sixteens in 1994 and '95.

Haith will try to start a new tradition Wednesday night. 

Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.