COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Men’s Basketball has signed transfer guard Dru Smith to its 2018 recruiting class, head coach Cuonzo Martin announced Tuesday. Smith transfers from the University of Evansville, where he was one of the most efficient shooters in the nation as a sophomore and earned Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman honors in 2017.
Smith started all 22 games he appeared in last season, reaching double figures 17 times and scoring at least 20 points in a game on four occasions. The Evansville, Indiana, native will sit out the 2018-19 campaign due to NCAA transfer rules and have two years of eligibility remaining.
“We are excited to welcome Dru into the Mizzou Basketball Family,” Martin said. “Dru is an experienced player who understands the kind of work ethic it takes to succeed at this level. He is a proven shooter and talented passer who can impact the game in so many ways. Dru will be an outstanding teammate and we’re thrilled to have him join the program.”
Smith averaged 13.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.0 steals as a sophomore at Evansville. The sharpshooter led the Missouri Valley Conference in three-point shooting, making 48.2 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc. Smith ranked third in the MVC in both field goal percentage and free throw percentage, shooting 57.8 percent from the floor and 86.2 percent from the free throw line.
Smith saw action in 28 games as a freshman, chipping in 5.3 points and 2.6 rebounds per contest. The 6-foot-3 guard played at Reitz High School, where he steered his squad to a 22-5 record while pouring in 20.8 points per game and grabbing 6.5 rebounds per outing as a senior.
“I really connected with Coach Martin and the staff and I already feel like a part of the family,” Smith said. “Mizzou Arena and all the facilities are incredible and I’m just ready to get there and go to work.”
As a junior in high school, Smith captained Reitz to a 29-2 record and a runner-up finish in the Indiana Class 4A State Tournament while posting 10.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists per contest. He is the sixth member in a talented group of Mizzou newcomers heading in to the 2018-19 season, alongside signees Mark Smith, K.J. Santos, Javon Pickett, Xavier Pinson and Torrence Watson.
Smith started all 22 games he appeared in last season, reaching double figures 17 times and scoring at least 20 points in a game on four occasions. The Evansville, Indiana, native will sit out the 2018-19 campaign due to NCAA transfer rules and have two years of eligibility remaining.
“We are excited to welcome Dru into the Mizzou Basketball Family,” Martin said. “Dru is an experienced player who understands the kind of work ethic it takes to succeed at this level. He is a proven shooter and talented passer who can impact the game in so many ways. Dru will be an outstanding teammate and we’re thrilled to have him join the program.”
Smith averaged 13.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.0 steals as a sophomore at Evansville. The sharpshooter led the Missouri Valley Conference in three-point shooting, making 48.2 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc. Smith ranked third in the MVC in both field goal percentage and free throw percentage, shooting 57.8 percent from the floor and 86.2 percent from the free throw line.
Smith saw action in 28 games as a freshman, chipping in 5.3 points and 2.6 rebounds per contest. The 6-foot-3 guard played at Reitz High School, where he steered his squad to a 22-5 record while pouring in 20.8 points per game and grabbing 6.5 rebounds per outing as a senior.
“I really connected with Coach Martin and the staff and I already feel like a part of the family,” Smith said. “Mizzou Arena and all the facilities are incredible and I’m just ready to get there and go to work.”
As a junior in high school, Smith captained Reitz to a 29-2 record and a runner-up finish in the Indiana Class 4A State Tournament while posting 10.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists per contest. He is the sixth member in a talented group of Mizzou newcomers heading in to the 2018-19 season, alongside signees Mark Smith, K.J. Santos, Javon Pickett, Xavier Pinson and Torrence Watson.
