Minnesota Has Fired Tubby Smith

Well there are now two basketball coach openings in the Big Ten, as Minnesota's Tubby Smith has joined Bill Carmody in the unemployment line.

CBSSports.com's Jeff Goodman broke the news on Monday morning.

Tubby Smith is done at Minnesota.

Smith, who has spent the past six seasons with the Gophers, was fired on Monday afternoon, sources told CBSSports.com. His tenure ends with a 124-81 overall mark and a 46-62 record in Big Ten play.

Goodman also mentions how Minnesota AD Norwood Teague was the man who hired Shaka Smart at VCU, so Smart has been mentioned as a possible replacement for Smith at Minnesota. Personally I don't see Smart turning down Illinois to accept a job at Minnesota, but I don't know. It could just be my bias and I could be underestimating Smart's relationship with Teague.

Maybe it's enough of a draw.

Really I'm not sure where Minnesota goes from here, though I would certainly give Ben Howland a call.

The only thing that's clear at the moment is that Minnesota is not willing to accept tournament wins as the ceiling for its basketball program. Because, and maybe I'm just out of town stupid here, firing a guy after he just helped you win your first tournament game in sixteen years seems odd to me.

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