Utah freshman Smith poses threat for Blue Devils

RALEIGH - Kim Smith is the best women's basketball player about whom no one has heard.

A 6-foot-1 freshman from Mission, British Columbia, Smith has almost single-handedly propelled her Utah team into the second round of the NCAA Tournament against No. 1 Duke. A forward whose play is reminiscent of Southwest Missouri State's Jackie Stiles, who torched the Blue Devils in the 2001 Sweet 16 for 41 points, Smith is a prolific scorer with the ability to carry her team.

After being named the Mountain West Conference Player and Newcomer of the Year, Smith came out in the opening round of the tournament and poured in a career-high 35 points on DePaul. Her scoring came from everywhere - she was 3-for-5 from beyond the arc and 11-for-16 overall.

For Smith, the matchup with Duke could serve as a national showcase of her talents. Though she has been performing at a high-level all year long, she has not received the attention of the nation's other top freshmen, namely those playing for Duke, Connecticut and LSU.

"Yesterday was not a fluke for Kim," Utah head coach Elaine Elliot said. "She's been consistent all year long and is always capable of the type of performance she had yesterday.

In her freshman campaign, Smith averaged 17.3 points en route to a cumulative 520 points. That places her first on the all-time season scoring list for Utah freshmen, and eighth among players of any class. During the season, she racked up double figures in 28 consecutive games, setting a conference record. For her efforts, she has been named to the WBCA District VII team.