Sad report: the Tennessee Volunteer had indefinitely suspended

Vols dismiss Smith; three remain suspended.

Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl fired senior forward Tyler Smith from the team on Friday, a week after he was arrested with three other players on misdemeanor drug and firearms charges.

Pearl suspended Smith, guard Cameron Tatum, center Brian Williams, and point guard Melvin Goins indefinitely after their arrest on January 1.

“I am deeply troubled and saddened,” Pearl explained. “Playing basketball at the University of Tennessee is a privilege, and when conduct is detrimental to the team or the university, discipline is required. Tyler has accomplished a lot, and we are all disappointed that his playing career at the University of Tennessee will conclude in this manner.”

The other three players will continue to serve their suspensions when the Vols (No. 15 ESPN/USA Today, No. 16 AP) play host to No. 1 Kansas on Sunday — easily the biggest game on Tennessee’s home schedule.

“I am truly sorry for my actions in the recent case that everyone is familiar with,” Smith said in the statement. “From the beginning, I have accepted responsibility for my actions and what I have been charged with, and I am very sorry that my decisions have affected Brian, Cam and Melvin.”

Police pulled over the vehicle the four players were in for speeding and said they smelled marijuana coming from the car and found a handgun with an altered serial number, a bag of marijuana and an open container of alcohol. Tatum was driving the car, which was a rental borrowed from one of the player’s friends, and is also charged with violating Tennessee’s open container law.

Smith’s lawyer, Knoxville attorney Don Bosch, stated, “I hope and believe that the misdemeanor cases against him will be resolved quickly and consistently with the thousands of other true first offenders in Knox County.”

The four are due to be arraigned Thursday.

Smith, a native of Pulaski, Tenn., and a two-time All-Southeastern Conference player, served as the Volunteers’ leader on the court last season, averaging 17.4 points and helping to energize his teammates when they struggled to perform. Smith started 12 games this season, scoring 11.7 points and grabbing 4.7 rebounds per game. He led the club with 44 assists and 17 steals.

“I didn’t just lose a teammate,” senior guard J.P. Prince explained. “It was like losing a brother, and it aches. This was one of the few days when I wasn’t looking forward to practicing since I didn’t want to be without him. “You just don’t like how things ended.”

Smith, who played at Iowa as a freshman before transferring to Tennessee to be closer to his ailing father, pondered foregoing his last year of eligibility to enter the NBA draft in June but opted against it after evaluators failed to estimate him as a first-round selection.

Tennessee had only six scholarship players available for Wednesday’s 88-71 win against Charlotte, and that could be the situation again in the Kansas game.

To upset the Jayhawks, Pearl stated forward Wayne Chism must rebound well against Cole Aldrich; Scott Hopson and Renaldo Woolridge must make 3-pointers; and Bobby Maze must limit turnovers against Kansas’ Sherron Collins.

The Vols defended effectively against Charlotte, limiting the 49ers to 27.6 percent on 3-pointers and 36.2 percent overall.

Both Pearl and Smith expressed hope that the senior will return to Tennessee to finish his degree, however Smith will face a student disciplinary process at the university due to his arrest.

“One day soon I hope I can finish the 12 classes that I need for my degree,” he stated. “My recent actions do not reflect who I am, and I can only hope that what I do in the future can make everyone believe in me again.”

Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com. This report utilizes information from The Associated Press.