COLUMBIA, MO.– Mizzou Men’s Basketball redshirt senior Dru Smith was named Co-SEC Player of the Week alongside Ole Miss’ Devontae Shuler, as announced Monday by the league office. It’s the third SEC weekly honor for Smith this season.
Smith is the first Mizzou player since Jordan Clarkson in 2013-14 to win three SEC Player of the Week awards in the same campaign. Mizzou has captured four SEC Player of the Week honors total this season with senior Mark Smith nabbing one on Dec. 7 – the Tigers’ most in a season since joining the Southeastern Conference.
Dru averaged 22 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists, leading Mizzou to a 2-0 week as the Tigers have won six of their last seven games. Dru ripped off a season-high 26 points to steer No. 18 Mizzou past Kentucky for just the second time in program history, hitting a career-high 12 free throws. He added seven boards, five assists and two steals in 38 minutes vs. the Wildcats.
Dru followed with a game-high 16 points to help Mizzou down No. 10 Alabama and win its third game over a Top-10 team in the same season for the first time since 2011-12. Against the Crimson Tide, Dru added a season-best eight rebounds and four assists in an all-around effort as Mizzou handed Alabama its first SEC loss. Dru has reached double figures in eight consecutive games with Mizzou going 6-2 in that span.
The Tigers were tabbed No. 10 in Monday’s Associated Press Top 25, cracking the Top 10 for the first time since the 2012-13 season.
Mizzou is back in action Wednesday night on the road at Ole Miss. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. CT on the SEC Network.
