Career high performance leads to GPAC weekly award for Smith

By Jacob Knabel on Nov. 20, 2024 in Men's Basketball

GPAC Release

SEWARD, Neb. – A career high performance for Tristan Smith led to the Concordia University, Nebraska junior earning recognition from the GPAC. On Wednesday (Nov. 20), the league office announced Smith as the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Men’s Basketball Offensive Player of the Week. Beginning in 2024-25, both the GPAC and NAIA began naming both offensive and defensive players of the week for basketball. Smith has twice been named a GPAC Player of the Week in his career.

In last week’s lone outing, Smith totaled a career-high 34 points to go along with 13 rebounds and two assists in 35 minutes in the 95-88 home loss to Morningside. The Elizabeth, Colo., native made 14-of-16 shots from the floor in the GPAC opener for the ninth-ranked Bulldogs. Through four games this season, Smith is averaging 18.0 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while shooting 60.0 percent from the floor.

In 83 career games at Concordia, Smith has totaled 972 points, 503 rebounds, 120 assists, 87 blocked shots and 69 steals. Smith ranks 16th on the program’s all-time rebound list.

Head Coach Ben Limback’s squad (3-1, 0-1 GPAC) will resume GPAC play on Saturday with a trip to Dordt. Tipoff is set for 3:45 p.m. CT from Sioux Center, Iowa.