Tubby Smith brings teamwork to Kentucky

ATLANTA - Kentucky basketball has really hit hard times since Rick Pitino left.

Instead of holding their familiar No. 1 seed entering this tournament, these Wildcats have slipped all the way to No. 2.

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Tubby Smith has built a true team in Kentucky. (AP)

kidding aside, the Wildcats, who take on South Carolina State in the South Region's first round on Friday, remain a very dangerous team. Even if they don't have the star-studded cast of the last three seasons, they have a rock solid 29-4 record.

IN A WAY, IT IS FITTING THAT Ron Mercer, Antoine Walker and Walter McCarty now play for Pitino in Boston, while a relatively anonymous bunch keeps the fabled Kentucky tradition alive under Tubby Smith.

Unlike Pitino, who loves the glamour of it all, Smith is just here to win basketball games. And he's doing it with a group that is a team in every sense of the word.

"We came into the season hearing that (we didn't have a marquee player), even last year when Derek (Anderson) went down," said senior swingman Allen Edwards. "Coach Smith has come in with a different system -- teamball. By our playing together, we win games. That's how we've gotten this far."

The way Smith sees it, things are coming together just as he figured they would. This guy isn't a rookie. He was a head coach at Tulsa and Georgia, before taking on this monumental task after Pitino fled to the greener pastures of the Boston Celtics.

"IT'S BEEN A CUMULATIVE PROCESS over the year," Smith said. "I like the way we've come together over the past month. It takes time."

Especially when the guy you are replacing has already authored books titled Born to Coach and Finding a Way to Win.

Smith has clearly found his own way to win, guiding the Wildcats to yet another SEC title.

And while almost anyone would seem like a softy following the footsteps of the fiery Pitino, Smith has been just as demanding in his own way. Just ask those players what time they've been setting on their alarm clocks.

"Coach Smith has done a great job on getting us focused. One way is our 6 a.m. practices," said Cameron Mills. "We come in more focused and with an attitude of 'it's crunch time'."

A bullish approach

"This is a very fine team," Alexander said. "It's our second trip (to the tournament) in three years. We're very proud that over six years we've never finished lower than second in the conference."

So what if that conference happens to be the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, or that much of the Bulldogs' schedule consists of teams such as Hampton, Norfolk State and Howard?

They've also gone up against Duke, North Carolina State and Clemson during the regular season. The Bulldogs can only benefit from experience like that. Even if it wasn't so pleasant at the time.

"The game that forced us to grow up more than any other was the Duke game," Alexander said. "We trailed at halftime by 14 points and wound up losing by 58 points. But after watching some other teams leave Durham, I didn't feel too bad about that score. I think that game taught us how to play at an ACC level."

Friday against Kentucky, we'll find out just how much these Bulldogs have learned.

Big words from a big man

"I made the statement (that Michigan would reach the Final Four) after the Big 10 Tournament, and I stand by it now,' Traylor said. "We are playing great basketball now and I feel strongly that we are undoubtedly a Final Four team."

Whether Michigan is that good remains to be seen. But it is clear the Wolverines are once again a national power.

This, following an embarrassing 1996-97 season which saw the Wolverines miss the tournament altogether.

"Last year was frustrating but we're back and we have to make a statement for Michigan," said senior forward Maceo Baston.

Wounded Wildcat

"I feel great. The ankle felt comfortable today in practice," Sheppard said. "As far as (how it will feel) in the game, we'll see."

They said it