UT Martin's Smith will return next year

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WPSD Sports

Story Created: Mon Apr 9, 2012 10:16 PM

Story Updated: Mon Apr 9, 2012 10:42 PM

UT Martin basketball coach Jason James confirmed Monday sophomore guard Terence Smith is expected to return to the team for the 2012-13 season.  Smith missed all of last year with a heart ailment team doctors feared would end his career. 

James says doctors eventually diagnosed Smith with "athlete's heart" and that Smith needed to "de-condition" his heart to help him recover.  Doctors cleared Smith to practice back in January but never cleared him to return to games.  James says Smith is now going through individual workouts "at his own pace" and they expect Smith to return to the court next season.

James also confirmed a pair of Skyhawks will not be returning next season.  Sophomore Chris Richardson and freshman Martez Harris each plan to transfer to a new school.

UT Martin has the majority of their 2012-13 non-conference schedule completed.  James says his team will play four "money games", although only three have been confirmed.  The Skyhawks will play at Memphis, at Saint Louis and at Arkansas-Little Rock.  James says he doesn't know who that fourth "money game" will be at this point.

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