JACKSON, Tenn. (AP) -- McKendree College coach Harry Statham tied Dean Smith's record of 879 career wins Saturday with the Bearcats' 78-69 victory over Freed-Hardeman.<br>
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"We're trying to keep everything in focus and get on with our season," said Statham, who can break the record Dec. 1 in a home game against Maryville.<br>
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Statham passed Adolph Rupp's total of 876 wins earlier this season. Rupp still ranks second to Smith in NCAA history because all of Statham's victories have come at the NAIA level.<br>
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The 67-year-old Statham has spent 39 years at the 1,500-student, liberal arts college about 25 miles east of St. Louis. He is a member of the NAIA Hall of Fame and has topped 20 wins in 29 of his 38 seasons at McKendree (8-2). He has also reached the postseason 33 times, getting to the NAIA national tournament semifinals two seasons ago.<br>
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Statham was the NAIA coach of the year for 2001-02, and set that level's career wins record the following season.<br>
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"To get that 500th win was a milestone," Statham said. "Then when we got to 800 everybody started thinking we're going to get that record and started to talk about it a little bit."<br>
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He said the attention has been a distraction.<br>
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"It has to have a bearing on our kids," Statham said. "We don't get much national attention. We get pretty good local media but not anything beyond that."
