NCAAM teams
Andrea Adelson, ESPN Senior Writer 6y

Tubby Smith uncertain about coaching future at Memphis

Men's College Basketball, Memphis Tigers

ORLANDO, Fla. -- With speculation swirling about his future, Memphis coach Tubby Smith was asked whether he thought he coached his last game with the Tigers after a 70-60 loss to Cincinnati in the American Athletic Conference tournament semifinals Saturday.

"Who knows?" Smith said tersely.

With that, expect the questions about his future to intensify, after another season without an NCAA tournament bid for the men's basketball program.

Memphis put together a mini-run in the American tournament and played a near-perfect first half against Cincinnati. The Tigers completely outplayed the favored No. 1 seed, outshooting, outrebounding and outhustling a team known for its defensive prowess.

They led 42-29 at halftime, and that one half felt as if everybody on that sideline knew they were playing and coaching for Smith. But once the second half began, Memphis could not hit a basket as Cincinnati tightened up on defense. The Tigers had just one field goal through the first 10 minutes of the second half.

Smith said afterward his team simply couldn't match Cincinnati's second-half intensity. Memphis ended up shooting 18.5 percent in the second half, and the starters began to look worn out as the half progressed.

"In the first half, we were really moving the ball, really doing a good job of penetrating, and finding people open," Smith said. "I thought we kind of got them back on their heels some because we were making shots and attacking the basket. And that was the difference."

Earlier in the week, CBS Sports reported that Memphis might fire Smith and hire Tigers legend Penny Hardaway. Smith's attorney, Ricky Lefft, defended the job Smith has done at Memphis, saying Smith deserved an "A" for his job performance this season. After beating USF in the American tournament opening round Thursday, Smith said he felt "pretty comfortable, pretty confident about what we've done this year and how we're growing the program."

Memphis (21-13) made it to the American tournament semifinals despite losing leading scorer Jeremiah Martin to a broken foot in February. Still, the Tigers were able to win seven of their final nine games.

Smith was hopeful his team would get an NIT bid.

"This group has really come on to kind of overachieve to some degree," Smith said. "When you're picked to finish ninth in the league and we finish fifth, and we were one of the final four teams in the tournament, it might help. ... We would love to be in it, but again, we have a lot to do with it. If we had done what we were supposed to do, we would be in the big dance, but we didn't. ... We're playing so well I think we would play well in it."

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