Smith plans to attend OVC championship ceremony

~ The former Redhawks coach will make his first Southeast appearance Saturday since resigning last month.

B.J. Smith is no longer officially a part of the Southeast Missouri State women's basketball program.

But he knows the Redhawks and their fans will always have a special place in his heart.

That's why the Redhawks' former head coach plans to be at the Show Me Center for the first time this season on Saturday.

Between games of the Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader against Tennessee Tech, at approximately 6:45 p.m., the women's OVC championship banners from last season will be unveiled.

Smith said the only possible thing keeping him from attending would be the weather, since he has a trip planned to his native Oklahoma this week.

"I'm going to be out of town until Saturday morning, but weather permitting I'll be there," Smith said. "It's something I want to share in with not only the players, but all the people that were so supportive of the program."

Smith led the Redhawks to the program's first OVC regular-season and tournament titles last year, which resulted in the program's first NCAA Division I tournament berth.

He was placed on paid administrative leave on Nov. 9, just two days before the season opener at Tulsa, and his resignation was announced on Dec. 6.

The Southeast women's basketball program remains under NCAA investigation for alleged rules infractions. Many of them were acknowledged by the university, which self-imposed several sanctions on the program.

Under the terms of Smith's release agreement with the university, he has been prohibited from attending practices, games or team meetings through May, with the exception of Saturday's ceremony that will include the players from last season.

Smith, who is being paid by the university through May 31 and has continued to live in Cape Girardeau, said he has followed the Redhawks closely this season, primarily through listening to radio broadcasts of the games.

"I don't think I've missed one yet," he said. "It's hard to not listen. I still feel a little ownership."

Even though Southeast lost four starters from last year and was picked just fifth in the OVC's preseason poll, Smith said when he was still the Redhawks' coach that he expected them to again contend for the conference title.

That's why he's not surprised by Southeast's strong start. The Redhawks, who had an eight-game winning streak snapped Saturday at Austin Peay, are 11-5 overall and 6-2 in OVC play.

Southeast is tied for second place in the conference, just one game out of first.

"I thought all along they would have a good team. I think they have good chance to win the league, and then win the conference tournament," Smith said. "I'm not surprised. They have good people [coaches] in charge. I think they're real fortunate to have those people in place.

"I'm sure happy for the coaches and players. I sure would like to see them win the conference and do great things again."

Asked how he has been spending his time, Smith laughed.

"A lot of people have asked me that. That's a good question. I'm so used to having immediate tasks in front of me, it's been different," he said. "I don't know ... I've been doing a lot of stuff I haven't done before."

Smith, who had a four-year record of 79-41 at Southeast -- the best in the OVC during that period -- said he has taken the opportunity to visit practices of other college programs.

"I've gone to see practices of other people, something I used to do a lot in junior college but haven't had a chance to do the last few years," Smith said. "I'm trying to make myself better in this time I have off."

All with an eye toward coaching again in the future, he said, although right now he has no concrete plans.

"My future depends on circumstances, on what jobs come open, who's interested," he said. "Coaches don't have a lot of control of what comes open. With me it will be trying to find a fit."