There are a lot of great nicknames in college basketball, but “Scoochie” Smith has to be 1 of the best. He finished his high school career with a double-double in the Jordan Brand Regional All-Star Game, and began his college career at Dayton by helping them reach 2 straight NCAA tourneys. After leading the team in assists during the regular season last year, he played 117 of a possible 120 minutes in the NCAA tourney. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Scoochie about the Flyers’ SEC-heavy non-conference schedule and the story behind his nifty nickname.
Your nickname is “Scoochie”: who gave it to you, and how do you like it? My grandfather gave it to me. I did not think it would still be around now that I am grown up, but I like it.
You grew up in the Bronx: what made you choose Dayton? I wanted the opportunity to come in a freshman and get a lot of playing time. The campus is great and it is very family-oriented. It is a good mix of academics and athletics.
You play for Coach Archie Miller: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have ever learned from him? I like his drive and his will to win. We are kind of on the same page at being successful at whatever we do.
You played in all 37 games as a freshman and had the best assist-to-turnover ratio on the team: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I just prepared myself for success and worked hard at practice.
In the 2014 NCAA tourney you had 2 STL and Vee Sanford made a layup with 3.8 seconds left in a 1-PT win over your in-state rival Ohio State: did you think Aaron Craft’s 10-footer at the buzzer was going in, and what was the reaction like in the locker room afterward? I knew that Vee was going to win the game because Coach drew up the play for him: I have seen him make that shot all the time. I was not too nervous about Aaron’s shot but it was close to going in. It was a great win for the Flyer faithful and boosted our confidence for a deep tourney run that year.
Last year you led the team in AST: what is the key to being a good PG? I just try to lead the team and improve at everything I do on a daily basis: I try to be a pro every day.
In the 2015 NCAA tourney you scored 16 PTS in a 6-PT loss to Oklahoma: what did you learn from that loss that you think can help you this year? We cannot have scoring breakdowns like we did last year if we want to win games.
Your non-conference schedule includes games against Alabama/Vandy/Arkansas: when did you decide to join the SEC, and which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test?! It is always fun to play against the SEC but it is also tough. It will be good preparation for conference play but you just have to be ready because you can lose on any given night.
Your leading scorer from last year (Jordan Sibert) graduated but your other 4 starters all return: how do you hope to replace Jordan’s offense, and how crucial will all of that experience be to your team’s success? We have a lot of guys who know how to win and a bunch of newcomers who are willing to learn, which makes things a lot easier. Everyone will just step up when their number is called, so I do not think that scoring will be a problem.
What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? I have very high goals for myself and we want to win as many games as possible and try to win a conference championship. I want to help my teammates improve every day and be a good leader.