Last Week’s Stats: 23.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.0 apg, 43.9 FG%, 88.9 FT%
Stringing together 20-plus points in consecutive outings for the fifth time this season, Smith, who became the first Central Connecticut player since Kyle Vinales (2012-13) to claim the league’s scoring title, earned Influxer/NEC Player of the Week honors for the sixth time this season. With his six honors, the Springfield, MA native tied former Blue Devil Tyler Kohl (2018-19) and Merrimack’s Jordan Derkack for the most NEC Player of the Week awards in a single season. Smith guided Central Connecticut to wins over Mercyhurst (80-78) and Saint Francis (69-64) on Thursday and Saturday, respectively, after he averaged 23.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.0 dimes per contest. In Thursday’s win over the Lakers, the sophomore forward carried the Blue Devils on his back and helped his team lock up a top-two seed for the third time in as many years after he netted a game-high 24 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the field and a 12-of-13 effort from the line. He was clutch down the stretch with a 6-for-6 effort from the free throw line and a key layup inside the final 2:27 to silence a Lakers’ comeback bid. Smith closed out the regular season in style on Saturday. Leading his squad in scoring for the 22nd time this season after netting 22 points behind a 7-of-12 clip from the floor, a 2-of-3 clip from three and a 6-of-6 performance from the charity stripe, he added seven boards in the triumph. Smith, who also leads the league in free-throw percentage (.909), free throw makes (149) and free throw attempts (164), enters the postseason averaging 20.4 points, 5.2 rebounds per game.