Tuesday, February 19, 2002
Smith acts quickly to bring order
Turmoil continues to dog team
The Associated Press
LEXINGTON — With only two weeks remaining in the regular season, Kentucky coach Tubby Smith is fed up with the unexpected distractions that continue to plague his erratic team.
The latest incident in a season rife with on and off-court problems came Saturday, when starting guard Gerald Fitch and reserve Cory Sears scuffled on the team plane as the Wildcats returned from a 78-69 loss at Georgia.
Smith suspended the two players Sunday for conduct detrimental to the team. Both will miss tonight's showdown against Tennessee, a team that beat the Wildcats 76-74 in overtime two weeks ago.
“They know I don't tolerate that behavior,” Smith said Monday. “Those types of things can be more divisive to a team than anything. You have to be able to handle your emotions, or things can become dangerous.
“You hate to say it publicly, but I'm not going to tolerate another disruption. We've talked about this over and over and explained it to the players. Enough explaining. It's time to make changes.”
A frustrated Smith went on to say that the next player to cause a distraction would face his full wrath.
“They're not going to be part of the team, whether it's a suspension for the year or they find another program,” he said.
Smith said he did not witness the altercation, but talked to both players and other witnesses to get their versions of the incident.
“I wasn't on the plane, I stayed in Georgia,” Smith said. “It was a situation with a couple guys ragging on each other. That was pretty much it.”
Few teams can match the chaos 12th-ranked UK (17-7, 7-5 Southeastern Conference) has endured.
First it was Rick Pitino's return to Rupp Arena. Then Marvin Stone's transfer to bitter rival Louisville. Then an injury to backup point guard J.P. Blevins that kept him out of the lineup for nearly five weeks.
Then came Smith's clashes with freshman sharpshooter Rashaad Carruth, who missed two games for disciplinary reasons, and junior guard Keith Bogans, who was benched for the final 18 minutes of a victory over LSU.
“It's February 18 and we're out here and talking about team chemistry and things that have no relation at all to the Tennessee game,” said Blevins, adding that the team held a four-hour team meeting in addition to practice Sunday to clear the air. “That's a distraction.”
Fitch's absence couldn't come at a more critical time.
The 6-foot-3 sophomore has been Kentucky's most consistent player throughout Southeastern Conference play. With games still remaining against the Vols, Arkansas, Vanderbilt and Florida, the Wildcats need a strong run to prepare for the postseason.
Freshman Chuck Hayes, who will start in Fitch's place against the Vols, said the team has struggled to put together consistent performances between the distractions.
“It's been really frustrating because we know what this team is capable of,” he said. “It seems like we never have a chance to get in a groove and start playing well before the next thing pops up.
“You figure that grown men will act like grown men. We need to find some maturity real quick.”
Tennessee coach Buzz Peterson said the loss of Fitch gives the Vols (13-12, 6-6) a marginal advantage at best.
“I know he played well against us the last time,” Peterson said of Fitch, who scored 12 points, grabbed seven rebounds and made two 3-pointers in the closing seconds to send the game to overtime. “But they've got depth. I'm sure somebody else will step up.”
Peterson praised Smith for punishing the players at a crucial point in the season.
“There's not many coaches that are going to do things the right way like Tubby did,” he said. “A lot of them would just let an incident like that go. That's why I have so much respect for Tubby.”
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Smith acts quickly to bring order
