Third program is the charm for Redhawks guard Aquan Smart

Southeast Missouri State is Aquan Smart's third college basketball program but the 2023-24 season is the first time in his career he's spending a second season with a team.

Not only that but they have been the best years, better than his freshman season at Maryland, and better than his sophomore season at Florida International.

"I feel like my two years here at SEMO has been the most fun I've had playing college basketball," Smart said. "I feel like I've grown the most. I took on a bigger role at the school and I just feel so comfortable around the community and around people and I just love being here."

Smart averaged seven minutes per game over 22 games for a Terrapins team that finished in the second round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament. Smart then transferred to Florida International in Miami, where he averaged 13.1 minutes in 26 games for a Panthers team that finished 15-17 in 2021-22. He arrived at SEMO last year, started games for the first time in his career, and was the glue guy for the Redhawks' second-ever March Madness appearance.

"I think that's the cool thing about college and the cool thing about our program and in this level is that guys are continuously growing," SEMO coach Brad Korn said. "None of us are finished products, myself included. None of us are perfect."

Smart scored a season-high 19 points to lead the Redhawks (2-6) to their second win of the season, an 84-56 rout of Missouri Baptist (7-2) on Sunday afternoon at the Show Me Center. Adam Larson also scored 15 points, followed by 12 from Rob Martin and 11 by TJ Biel.

It's the second straight game where the junior guard has established season highs in points. He previously scored 13 points in a 30-point road loss at Kansas City on Nov. 30.

"I feel like I just have to do a lot of the things I did last year but score the ball more and get my teammates more involved," Smart said.

Korn felt before this season that Smart could evolve into a leader on the team and assume the top-scoring option role similar to what Chris Harris and Phillip Russel previously were.

"I've just seen him grow a lot outside of this moment," Korn said.

Before Sunday's win, the Redhawks ranked 351st among 361 NCAA Division I programs offensively (60.6 points per game), and ranked 357th nationally in free throw percentage. SEMO scored a season-high 84 points against Missouri Baptist, including making 26-of-33 from the free-throw line.

The non-conference portion of the schedule for mid-major programs like SEMO is nothing more than preparation for the conference slate and ultimately the conference tournament. Smart believes that as the team plays more games together, their numbers will eventually improve.

"I feel like our percentages are gonna get better," Smart said. "I feel like the more games we shoot more and pass the ball like that, I feel like our confidence level is gonna go up."

Former Jackson High School standout Nick Wasilewski scored five points off the bench for Missouri Baptist. The Redhawks are now 21-0 all-time against the Spartans and won 34 games in a row versus non-Division I opponents. That much is expected out of SEMO, no matter how bad the team can be. It's why SEMO has four home games against non-D1 programs on the schedule in the first place.

Regardless of the opponent, Korn takes the approach of progress over result regarding his Redhawks.

"It doesn't matter," Korn said. "To us, we're playing ourselves. We're playing the game of basketball so as long as we're playing the right way as far as executing offensively, taking what we've done in practice and implementing them into the game, the score is the score."

SEMO will host another NAIA program in Harris-Stowe on Wednesday, Dec. 6, at the Show Me Center. It's another game in which the Redhawks are expected to win and build confidence toward the next game they have with an opponent at their level.

"No matter who we play, just keep your confidence level up and believe in your teammates," Smart said. "I feel like if we keep those principles and intangibles, then we're gonna be okay."