Tubby finally hears the cheers from fickle fans

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- In the final minutes of a rout in the home finale, Kentucky's fans launched into what suddenly has become a familiar refrain at Rupp Arena: "TUB-BEE! TUB-BEE! TUB-BEE!"

Wildcats coach Tubby Smith tried hard to conceal a wry smile during that 62-point victory over Vanderbilt last week, but he couldn't -- not when the crowd finally was chanting his name in adulation. The oft-embattled coach had won 'em over.

Funny what a perfect Southeastern Conference season can do.

The Wildcats capped their 16-for-16 run through the toughest league in the country by winning at Florida 69-67 Saturday.

As tight as that one was, Kentucky made its SEC dominance look downright easy, winning those 16 games by an average of 16 points.

"That puts a real asterisk, a real stamp on this team," Smith said. "Future Kentucky teams will measure themselves against what this team accomplished."

Maybe Kentucky's fans will lighten up and appreciate their coach a bit more, laying to rest all of those unfavorable comparisons to predecessor Rick Pitino.

When Smith won the 1998 NCAA championship in his first season after Pitino's departure for the NBA's Boston Celtics, critics said he did it with Pitino's players.

Now Smith has matched another of Pitino's more impressive accomplishments at Kentucky -- an undefeated trip through the SEC regular season. Pitino did it in 1995-96, and that team went on to win the NCAA championship.

"With the way the road is in college basketball, it's such an incredible thing to do," said Pitino, now coaching Louisville. "It's a tribute to the outstanding job of Tubby and his staff that they've been able to put all of the ingredients together to do it."

Pitino's Cardinals were the last team to beat Kentucky.

But Pitino said the Wildcats' run since that 81-63 loss Dec. 28 -- an overall winning streak that now numbers 20 games -- proves what a complete team they have become.

"You have to have senior leadership, you have to have great players in your senior class, you have to have a great defensive system, you have to have depth, you have to be mentally tough," Pitino said.

"You have to have all the ingredients that make a great basketball team, and, certainly, Kentucky has them."

In the preseason, the Wildcats were picked to finish in the middle of the loaded SEC. Four league rivals -- Florida, Alabama, Mississippi State and Georgia -- were ranked ahead of No. 17 Kentucky in the first Top 25.

Soon after conference action started, the Wildcats turned the highly anticipated race into a runaway.

Kentucky trailed Vanderbilt by eight at halftime on Jan. 14, then smothered the Commodores with defense in the second half and won by 22 after a pivotal locker-room tongue-lashing from Smith.

The Wildcats haven't trailed at halftime since -- 13 straight games -- and have faced a second-half deficit only twice, the last time by three in a 74-66 win at Georgia on March 2.

"All great teams do everything well. Their defense, rebounding and running is top of the mark. And then they come down and really share the ball at the offensive end," Georgia coach Jim Harrick said. "They're a complete package."

Kentucky finished the SEC regular season leading the league in six categories, including scoring defense (59 points per game) and field-goal percentage (48 percent).

The Gators came the closest to beating Kentucky -- but they also earlier were one of seven league teams to lose by double-digits at Rupp Arena. Kentucky forced 19 turnovers in a 70-55 victory over then-No. 1 Florida on Feb. 4.

"Collectively, as a team, they're the best defensive team in the country," Florida coach Billy Donovan said. "When you talk about playing this team, it's not one thing you have to do. There are like five or six things you've got to do to put yourself in a position to win."

And that will be a tough task for any team that faces Kentucky in the NCAA tournament.

"For us to go through this season undefeated is just beyond my wildest dreams," Smith said.