Tubby Smith emerged from the elevator within the University of Memphis Administration Building at 11:32 a.m. on Wednesday and realized he was on the wrong floor.
Accompanied by his attorney, Smith found the nearest open door and asked for directions to the office of university president M. David Rudd. Then, he climbed the one flight of stairs left between him and his fate as the Memphis men’s basketball coach.
About 20 minutes later, Smith walked back out of a meeting with Rudd and athletic director Tom Bowen and confirmed the news everyone had been expecting: He was no longer the head coach at Memphis.
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Smith was fired Wednesday by Memphis after just two seasons leading the men’s basketball program. The decision by the university ended more than a week of speculation about Smith’s job security.
“I appreciate the opportunity to have led the University of Memphis basketball program the last two years,” Smith said in a statement. “I’m proud of the work my staff and I have done to serve the players, the school and the community in leading us to a 21-13 season this year.”
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