The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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"It definitely helped my confidence a lot," she said. "I only played a little bit at Carolina, so it was a great expe- rience at Trinity. We had a great team, and we went undefeated. It helped get me back into a rhythm and al- lowed me to do what I love to do." Barnes Arico welcomed Smith with open arms last year, but admitted that she didn't know exactly what she was getting in the junior college t r a n s f e r. A n y u n c e r t a i n t i e s w e re q u i c k l y e l i m i n a t e d w h e n S m i t h went on to lead the Wolverines i n s c o r i n g a t 13.8 points per game. Barnes Arico said she defi- nitely knows what she's getting now in Smith's senior year. "She's really grown on the defen- sive end of the floor," Barnes Arico said. "She does a little bit of every- thing for us. Most nights we need her to defend one of the best guards on the other team. "We also need her to rebound the basketball and get into the open floor for us. She's small but she's one of the best rebounders on our team. She obviously averages double figures in points, too. I think when our team plays well, we're kind of fueled by her." Barnes Arico believes that Smith's maturity and leadership are para- mount to the team's success this sea- son, and the coach has the utmost confidence in the senior, who ranked third on the team in scoring during U-M's 6-2 start, posting 12.4 points per contest, and led the squad in as- sists, dishing out 4.5 per game. "Last year she felt like she had to do so much for us in terms of scor- ing," Barnes Arico said. "I think she realizes that she can distribute the ball and she can make other people around her better this year. She's probably one of the best on our team at making people around her better, and making the right passes and the right decisions. " S h e i s t h e difference in our team's success. Her success is really important to our success, especially with her being a senior and one of the most experi- enced players on the court in terms of minutes played at the college level. We really depend on her energy and the things that she does to help us be successful." Smith knows someday she will be able to look back on her basketball career and be proud. It has been filled with ups and downs, but in the end, she wouldn't change a thing about it. "It's definitely been a roller coaster," she said with a laugh. "But it has taught me a lot about myself and life. "It taught me not to give up. It showed me that you're going to go through obstacles, but they just make you who you are. Everything hap- pens for a reason." ❏ Head coach Kim Barnes Arico on Smith "She's probably one of the best on our team at making people around her better, and making the right passes and the right decisions."