Guards who stand just 5-11 sometimes get lost in the big world of men's basketball. Hamline junior Zach Smith, however, stood tall last week as the Pipers won a pair of road games to improve to 5-3 overall and 2-2 in the MIAC.Â
Smith had the eagle eye going on Wednesday when he rattled in 28 points (10-16 field goals, 8-9 free throws) to help the Pipers to a 74-61 win at defending NCAA D-III champion (and No. 21 rated) St. Thomas. It was the Pipers' first win on a UST home floor since the 1979-80 season and it was the home team's worst margin of defeat on their own court in a dozen years.Â
The Burnsville, Minn. native kept it up on Saturday at Carleton, scoring 15 points in Hamline's 66-54 victory. He also had five assists, five rebounds and a pair of steals in the game.
Zach leads all MIAC marksmen with 58 field goals made. He stands second in points per game (21.3), average minutes played per game (34.8) and free throws made (45). He also leads HU in helpers with 28 assists and, perhaps more remarkably, is the top defensive rebounder on the team with 35.Â
HU has one more assignment before breaking for the holidays. The Pipers host Wis-River Falls on Saturday, December 17 at Hutton Arena. Game time is 3:00 p.m.
