a bruising, efficient interior presence with proven rebounding touch
In the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons, Nekole Smith was the kind of frontcourt piece coaches love: a 6-2 center/forward who could score efficiently inside, rebound, and protect the rim, with career markers that included 9.2 points per game as a freshman, 5.9 rebounds per game as a sophomore, and 17 blocks in her first season. The big caveat is durability — she missed the entire 2000-01 season with a dislocated knee — but the payoff was clear when healthy: she gave UMass toughness, second-chance chances, and reliable interior production.
