Last Week’s Stats: 23.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.5 spg, 40.0 FG%, 89.5 FT%
Smith’s elite scoring led second-place Central Connecticut to two more victories this past week. The league’s top point-getter strung together consecutive 20-point outings — including the 10th of the season — for the sixth time this season in a 76-69 win over visiting Stonehill on Thursday and a 69-59 triumph at Le Moyne on Saturday. On the week, Smith averaged 23.0 points while adding 8.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.0 block per contest. Powered by a 15-point second half, the Springfield, MA product put up 22 points and grabbed four boards against the Skyhawks. Three days later in Syracuse, Smith, who netted 14 points in the second half alone, finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds for his second double-double effort of the season. During that two-game stretch, he turned in a 17-of-19 effort from the free-throw line to improve his league-leading percentage to .884 (61-of-69). Smith is the lone player in the circuit averaging more than 20.0 points per game, while his 20.3-point-per-game clip is the 31st-best average in the nation. Against NEC competitors, he is performing at an even higher level at 21.0 points per contest. With this week’s NEC Player of the Week honor, Smith leads all players with three so far this year.