It’s not that unique that before every game, University of the Ozarks’ standout women’s basketball player Naomi Smith puts on her headphones and listens to music. However, it’s the type of music — soft piano and instrumental music — that garners some strange looks from her teammates.
“I play calm, relaxing music and visualize how the game is going to go; it helps me focus on the game,” Smith said. “A lot of people are surprised by that. My teammates listen to it and say, ‘Whoa, you listen to THAT before the game.’ It’s just very relaxing and gets me in the right frame of mind. I always get nervous before a game and the music helps bring it all down and helps channel that nervousness into adrenaline and energy rather than just a whole bunch of nerves.”
With the piano music as her catalyst, the 5-foot-11 senior forward from Lawton, Okla., has proven herself to be among the top women’s NCAA Division III players in the country this season. She not only leads the Eagles in both scoring (18.6) and rebounding (11.3), she is among the nation’s elite in both categories. She is in the top 20 nationally in rebounding in NCAA Division III and among the top 50 in scoring. She has also recorded 12 double-doubles, also among the top 12 nationally.
Ozarks women’s basketball coach Shauna Watson said Smith’s work ethic is equal to her exceptional skills on the court.
“Naomi is one of the hardest workers that I have coached,” Watson said. “When it comes to rebounding, it primarily comes down to effort and desire to get the basketball, and Naomi does that every day in practice and in games. She is always extremely prepared and wants to get better every day. She is a matchup problem for a lot of teams because she can play inside and outside, which makes her extremely versatile. She has bought in to whatever role we need her to be each game.”
Smith, a junior college transfer who scored her 1,000th career collegiate point earlier this month, credits her versatility for her success on the court. In both high school and junior college, she played multiple positions, from point guard, to shooting guard, to forward to post. She has shined playing primarily in the post for the Eagles despite going against taller opponents in almost every game.
“It’s all about foot work, quickness and using some of the qualities I’ve picked up from other positions,” Smith said of her success. “When I played those other positions, I’ve picked up different skills and abilities that help me out when I’m playing against other taller post players who’ve only played that position their whole life. That experience playing other positions also has given me better court vision. I’m able to see my open teammates if I get double-teamed.”
Coming out of Allen Community College in Kansas, Smith said her recruitment came down to two schools — Ozarks and an NCAA Division II college in Georgia.
“When I visited Ozarks, it was kind of a dreary, rainy day, but you could still tell it was a beautiful campus,” she said. “The team was very nice and welcoming and I also talked to other people on campus and everyone was really nice. I really enjoyed seeing people hanging around the mall and talking. That’s something I didn’t see on the other campus.”
Smith said the deciding factor in choosing Ozarks was the diversity she saw on campus.
“I loved the diversity I saw here in the student body,” she said. “My hometown has a military base and we get all kinds of people from all over. Throughout school I always met kids from different races and from different places. Ozarks has that same kind of diversity and I really liked that.”
After arriving at Ozarks in 2023, Smith wasted little time making an impact on the program. She was named the American Southwest Conference Newcomer of the Year and All-ASC Second Team after averaging 13.3 points and 10.0 rebounds a game.
“It has surprised me a little bit how well I’ve fit in and how well I’ve played,” Smith said. “In junior college, I played mostly guard and I never seemed to get into a groove. Here at Ozarks, playing the post has made the difference for me. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished here. To be able to push past the standards that I set for myself when I first arrived and to be able to set new, higher ones is something I’m proud of. Looking back, I think younger me would be a little shocked at what I’ve accomplished.”
Her most memorable game from the 2023-24 season was an improbable 64-60 upset of third-seeded UT Dallas on the Comets’ home court in the first rounds of the ASC Playoffs. Smith had 17 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in the monumental victory.
“That was also one of my funniest moments because at the end of the game I didn’t realize that we were winning and that there was only 2 minutes and 30 seconds left to play in the game,” Smith said. “When the coach called timeout, I thought we had 2 minutes and 30 seconds until halftime, but it was actually the fourth quarter. I was so into the game that I didn’t realize that we were winning and that it was the end of the game. I was just zoned in on trying to help our seniors win that game that I blocked everything else out.”
As good as Smith was last year, Watson believes she has continued to improve this year.
“Naomi has become an even better finisher than when she started,” Watson said. “We talked a lot about getting all the way to the rim and drawing contact to finish and she has done a great job improving that. This year in particular, she has drawn a double team almost every game, and has had to learn how to navigate that physically and mentally. She has become an even better passer and decision-maker through the year.”
Smith, whose father played semi-pro basketball in Italy and who is now a high school coach in Oklahoma, said she has been playing basketball since she was 5. Her younger sister, Nadia, joined the Eagles’ team in the fall.
“It’s great to be able to play with her,” Smith said. “Every now and then we have our sister-bickering, but for the most part we really get along well and enjoy hanging out with each other. It’s good to have her here because it’s someone you know and feel comfortable being around.”
Smith, a health science major who is on schedule to graduate this summer, said she plans to pursue a career in athletic training. She has done her student work-study in the University’s athletic training office.
“Over the years, a lot of athletic trainers have helped me overcome injuries to play the sport I love and I want to repay that by becoming an athletic trainer and helping other young athletes,” Smith said. “I just love spending my time with our athletic trainers and watching how they work with the athletes. A lot of people thought the athletic training area was my second home because that’s where they could always find me.”
But before she begins thinking about her future career, she wants to help the Eagles finish strong this year and secure a spot in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) postseason playoffs in the program’s first year in its new conference.
“We definitely want to finish on a high note and get back into the playoffs,” Smith said. “I’m sure these last few games are going to be emotional because I’ve grown close with my team here and I’m truly going to miss playing with them.”
Topics: Athletics