Don Smith

Who was Don Smith?

Donald "Don" Smith was an American professional basketball player.

Donald Smith grew up in Dayton, Ohio and was a star basketball player at Roth High School in Dayton. He attended the University of Dayton. In 1971-72 as a 6'0" guard, the sophomore he had an immediate impact on the team, averaging 20.2 points per game with a .442 field goal percentage and an .861 free throw percentage.

As a junior, he averaged 23.4 points per game with a .451 field goal percentage and a then-UD record .910 free throw percentage. He still holds the Flyers' single-game scoring record; he scored 52 points his junior season against Loyola University Chicago at Chicago Stadium, and he also had a 44-point game that season against Xavier University in which he was 20-for-25 from the field.

As a senior in 1973-74, he averaged 18.0 points per game but with a career-best .469 field goal percentage and an .888 free throw percentage as the Flyers, after consecutive 13-13 seasons, went 20-9 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen. There, Smith scored 36 points in a memorable triple-overtime, 111-100 loss to the Bill Walton-led UCLA Bruins.