Award in case against Tubby Smith, U cut to $1M

A Hennepin County judge has reduced the amount of money the University of Minnesota must pay to a former Oklahoma State basketball coach who sued the U and Tubby Smith over an aborted hiring.

In court documents Tuesday, Judge Regina Chu writes that the jury's verdict in favor of Jimmy Williams stands. There will be no new trial.

But, the judge says, the damages awarded must be reduced from $1.25 million to the $1 million limit of the university's insurance policy.

Williams claimed Smith falsely represented he had the authority to hire Williams when the two talked in 2007 about an assistant coach position in Minnesota, leading Williams to resign from Oklahoma State.

But Minnesota officials didn't hire Williams after athletic director Joel Maturi said Williams had NCAA recruiting violations in his past.

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