Natalie Heavren, The Next’s Atlantic 10 beat reporter, welcomes Dayton head coach Tamika Williams-Jeter and senior forward Arianna Smith for a new episode of Locked On Women’s Basketball. Dayton is 14-12 overall and 8-7 in conference play, which is the most A-10 wins it’s had in Williams-Jeter’s three seasons.
Heavren begins the show by asking Williams-Jeter and Smith about the Flyers’ mantra this season, “15>1.” The players came up with it, and Smith describes it as meaning, “Us as a whole is greater than just one person. It can’t be one person that dictates or feels like they are the only one out there because we’re a whole team.”
Williams-Jeter talks about what it’s meant to her to see her players come up with and live by that mantra:
“I think it’s great. … I came into [the season] thinking I had to pick it, because I picked it the other years. It really didn’t stick [then]. And it was great that they took the initiative early in the season as a new group. … I think it shows ownership over the team, and ultimately they’re the ones on the court playing. So I was excited about it.”
At 6’2, Smith is averaging a career-high 12.0 points per game on 62.9% shooting from the field along with 9.3 rebounds per game. Her field goal percentage leads the Atlantic 10 and ranks eighth in the country. Smith explains what’s helped her finish at such a high rate this season:
“If I have two feet in the in the paint, that should be a easy two. And so I’m big on knowing what is the right shot? Is it a good shot, is it a great shot or is it a bad shot? So this year, I’ve been focusing on, like, ‘OK, if I do have two feet in, OK, that’s straight up.’ If I don’t, maybe I have to make a move. … I’m now more [cognizant] of where my shots are coming from, where I’m most efficient from, and that’s around the rim.”
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