Tubby Smith leaves Kentucky for Minnesota

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tubby Smith resigned Thursday as the University of Kentucky basketball coach to take the reins of the ailing Minnesota program.

Smith, 55, has spent the last 10 seasons at Kentucky, one of the nation's most storied programs, and won the national title in 1998. He was 263-83 during his decade in Lexington.

But despite winning five Southeastern Conference titles and reaching the final eight at the NCAA Tournament four times, Smith always seemed under fire for not winning enough.

"We wish him the very best at the University of Minnesota," Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart said in a statement. "They are getting a solid coach and a great person."

The Wildcats were 22-12 this season and lost to top-seeded Kansas 88-76 in the second round of the West Regional.

Minnesota was 9-22 and lost to Michigan 49-40 in the opening round of the Big Ten tournament. Former coach Dan Monson resigned just seven games into the season.

Smith will be formally introduced on the Minnesota campus Friday.