Kentucky is the only ranked college basketball team scheduled to play Friday. The Wildcats' opponent is High Point, a team they're favored to beat by 26. So if there were ever a day to focus on family, football and fireworks, this is it. But, that said, a cool scene will unfold inside Rupp Arena just before tipoff.
UK is retiring a jersey in Tubby Smith's honor.
Smith, of course, is now the coach at High Point, the school from which he graduated in 1973 after a successful playing career. That same year, he embarked on a coaching career that started at the high school level before eventually taking him to Kentucky, where he became the program's first black head coach in 1997.
He won the national championship in 1998.
Though Smith never returned to the Final Four after that year, he did guide the Wildcats to 10 straight NCAA Tournament appearances before leaving for Minnesota after the 2006-07 season in part because of how the intense UK fanbase turned on him in a way that was understandable on one hand but really ugly on the other.
Time often heals broken relationships.
Nolan Richardson and Arkansas is one great example. Bob Knight and Indiana have made progress. The way Kentucky fans now feel about Smith can be added to the list. So it'll genuinely be nice to see the school honor him on the final day of 2021. As I've noted many times, any person who can keep the Kentucky job for a decade has, by definition, done well. I know Smith and his family didn't feel that appreciation from Kentucky fans upon their departure 14 years ago, but they'll most definitely feel it during this properly planned return.
Anyway …
Kentucky remains No. 22 in Friday morning's updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings. The Wildcats have won three straight since losing at Notre Dame.
Top 25 And 1 rankings
Rk | Teams | Chg | Rcrd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | James Akinjo finished with 27 points and nine assists in Tuesday's 104-68 win over Northwestern State. The Bears' next game is Saturday at Iowa State. | -- | 0-0 |
| 2 |  | Paolo Banchero finished with 23 points and eight rebounds in Wednesday's 76-65 win over Virginia Tech. The Blue Devils are currently on a COVID pause. | -- | 0-0 |
| 3 |  | Jamie Jaquez finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds in a 67-56 win at Marquette on Dec. 11. The Bruins are currently on a COVID pause. | -- | 0-0 |
| 4 |  | Zach Edey finished with 21 points and five rebounds in Wednesday's 104-90 win over Nicholls. The Boilermakers' next game is Monday against Wisconsin. | -- | 0-0 |
| 5 |  | Julian Strawther finished with 15 points and four rebounds in Tuesday's 93-63 win over North Alabama. The Zags are currently on a COVID pause. | -- | 0-0 |
| 6 |  | Christian Braun finished with 22 points and four rebounds in Wednesday's 86-59 win over Nevada. The Jayhawks' next game is Saturday against George Mason. | -- | 0-0 |
| 7 |  | Gabe Brown finished with 24 points and seven rebounds in Wednesday's 81-68 win over High Point. The Spartans' next game is Sunday at Northwestern. | -- | 0-0 |
| 8 |  | Walker Kessler finished with 16 points, 11 blocks and 10 rebounds in Wednesday's 70-55 win over LSU. The Tigers' next game is Tuesday at South Carolina. | -- | 0-0 |
| 9 |  | Boogie Ellis finished with 16 points and seven rebounds in a 67-53 win over Georgia Tech on Dec. 18. The Trojans are currently on a COVID pause. | -- | 0-0 |
| 10 |  | Izaiah Brockington finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds in a 79-48 win over Chicago State on Dec. 21. The Cyclones' next game is Saturday against Baylor. | -- | 0-0 |
| 11 |  | Josh Carlton finished with 20 points and five rebounds in Wednesday's 80-47 win over Texas State. The Cougars are currently on a COVID pause. | -- | 0-0 |
| 12 |  | Davion Warren finished with 15 points and two steals in Tuesday's 75-53 win over Alabama State. The Red Raiders' next game is Jan. 5 at Iowa State. | -- | 0-0 |
| 13 |  | Arizona missed 18 of the 27 3-pointers it attempted in Wednesday's 77-73 loss at Tennessee. The Wildcats' next game is Jan. 8 at Arizona State. | -- | 0-0 |
| 14 |  | E.J. Liddell finished with 28 points and nine rebounds in a 73-55 win over Wisconsin on Dec 11. The Buckeyes are currently on a COVID pause. | -- | 0-0 |
| 15 |  | Tennessee was without two of its top three scorers in Wednesday's 73-68 loss at Alabama. The Vols' next game is Wednesday against Ole Miss. | -- | 0-0 |
| 16 |  | Noah Horchier finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds in Wednesday's 70-65 win over Seton Hall. The Friars' next game is Saturday at DePaul. | -- | 0-0 |
| 17 |  | Seton Hall missed 15 of the 19 3-pointers it attempted in Wednesday's 70-65 loss at Providence. The Pirates' next game is Saturday against Villanova. | -- | 0-0 |
| 18 |  | Tre Mitchell finished with 14 points and six rebounds in Tuesday's 78-33 win over Incarnate Word. The Longhorns' next game is Saturday against West Virginia. | -- | 0-0 |
| 19 |  | David Roddy finished with 19 points and seven rebounds in a 66-63 win over Mississippi State on Dec. 11. The Rams are currently on a COVID pause. | -- | 0-0 |
| 20 |  | Justin Moore finished with 17 points and three rebounds in a 71-58 win over Xavier on Dec. 21. The Wildcats' next game is Saturday at Seton Hall. | -- | 0-0 |
| 21 |  | Xavier missed 17 of the 23 3-pointers it attempted in a 71-58 loss at Villanova on Dec. 21. The Musketeers' next game is Jan. 7 at Butler. | -- | 0-0 |
| 22 |  | Oscar Tshiebwe finished with 13 points and 20 rebounds in Wednesday's 83-56 win over Missouri. The Wildcats' next game is Friday against High Point. | -- | 0-0 |
| 23 |  | Noah Gurley finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds in Wednesday's 73-68 win over Tennessee. The Crimson Tide's next game is Wednesday at Florida. | -- | 0-0 |
| 24 |  | LSU missed 23 of the 29 3-pointers it attempted in Wednesday's 70-55 loss at Auburn. The Tigers' next game is Tuesday against Kentucky. | -- | 0-0 |
| 25 |  | Steven Crowl finished with 21 points and nine rebounds in Wednesday's 89-85 win over IIllinois State. The Badgers' next game is Monday at Purdue. | -- | 0-0 |
| 26 |  | Braden Norris scored 18 points and finished with nine assists in a 69-58 victory at Vanderbilt on Dec. 10. The Ramblers are currently on a COVID pause. | -- | 0-0 |
