As the lights grew dim, the fans quickly stood up, jumped around and clapped at Williams Arena on Friday night as they waited and watched for the one who's expected to change everything. Even ESPN's Dick Vitale weighed in on the possible impact of Tubby Smith's arrival at Midnight Madness -- called Tubby's Tipoff -- via video.
When Smith finally came out, wild cheers rang out, and the new men's basketball coach responded by doing a little dance at midcourt.
He was greeted with a thunderous response from fans who cheered "Tubby, Tubby, Tubby!"We're going to have a good time!" Smith told the crowd.
But the sparse attendance was surprising, given the hype that followed him from Kentucky.
After nearly six months of waiting, however, fans finally got their first taste of Gophers basketball, the Tubby Smith way. A dunk contest featured a windmill slam by senior forward Dan Coleman, and a power dunk -- with an assist from the shot clock -- won cheers for senior center Spencer Tollackson.
The intrasquad scrimmage didn't give a lot of insight into what fans can expect this season. Every player looked anxious, which led to some sloppy play early. But eventually, they settled down. Freshman point guard Al Nolen proved that he could hang with the older players, and Tollackson played aggressively in the paint. But performances won't really matter for a few more weeks.
For now it's clear that the melancholy vibe that surrounded a squad that finished 9-22 last season has been replaced by a buzz that follows a coach who won a national title in 1998. And Smith has never experienced a losing season.
The Gophers went to the NCAA tournament in 2005 and the Final Four in 1997, but the NCAA no longer recognizes that season as a result of an academic scandal. Smith enters his first season facing adversity off the court. One-time Gophers assistant Jimmy Williams sued the university this week, arguing that Smith hired him and athletic director Joel Maturi blocked the move.
Smith remains focused on basketball. He's probably earned a few free trips by now based on the amount of time he's spent on the road trying to recruit new players.
"My job is to win basketball games and recruit top student-athletes," he said. "Recruiting is always the lifeblood of every program."
Smith's arrival was met with surprise and excitement. Sunny Kounlabout, a 19-year-old sophomore, arrived about an hour before the doors opened for Tubby's Tipoff at Williams Arena. Showing his allegiance to the Gophers, he ripped off his white sweatshirt to reveal a No. 13 Coleman jersey.
He said Gophers football coach Tim Brewster had set lofty goals for the team that haven't been achieved, which disappointed him.
He is confident, however, that Smith will make immediate strides.
"I'm actually pretty excited right now," he said. He added, "With that status and that profile," Smith should quickly help the Gophers succeed.
More than 700 miles away, Kentucky basketball fans also celebrated a new era with Midnight Madness. Billy Gillispie, the former Texas A&M coach, took over the renowned Wildcats program from Smith.
Smith will guide Coleman and the other four starters who return this year, and they are expected to play above last year's level. Coleman, Lawrence McKenzie and Tollackson are seniors and viewed as necessary leaders.
Tollackson said the Gophers have to win in order to justify the hype.
"So far, we're the team that won nine games last year," he said. "We haven't proven anything yet."
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