MEMPHIS – Tigers coach Tubby Smith met with the media on Wednesday for what was supposed to be a primer for the upcoming American Athletic Conference Tournament.  Instead, Smith was barraged by questions about his future with the program and all the talk that’ll he’ll be replaced by former Tiger great Penny Hardaway at season’s end.  Smith downplayed all the rumors, “My phone’s been ringing off the hook about speculation about my job or anything else.  I’m not here to address that.”

Smith is focused on getting his team ready for its AAC Tournament opener against South Florida, though he questions the timing of these reports, “Unfortunate something like that is out there this time of year as we go into Conference play.  They’re men that understand we have a job and a role to do.  It’s a concern because we’re still recruiting and other stuff. “