Smith Ties Mark for Accuracy

Tommy Smith could tell he was having a good game. He just had to wait until it ended to find out how good.

The sophomore forward tied the Pacific 10 Conference accuracy record, making all 11 of his shots while scoring a career-high 24 points Saturday night as Arizona State routed Washington, 89-57.

“I knew I was in a rhythm,” said Smith, who before Saturday was averaging eight points and had made 51.2% of his shots. “It felt good every time I caught the ball. If my man gave me an angle or a free, open lane to the basket, I went ahead and took it like coach told me to do.”

Alton Mason also was brilliant, making nine of 12 shots to help the Sun Devils, 11-11 overall and 3-8 in the Pac-10, shoot 61.3%.

Mason had 14 of his 20 points in the second half, ensuring that the Sun Devils avoided a repeat of their debacle on Thursday, when they blew a 17-point lead in a 58-57 loss to Washington State and Smith missed two free throws with 14 seconds to play.

“Today I noticed at our shoot-around he was working on his free throws,” Coach Rob Evans said. “He knows he’s going to be there again. He’s a tough-minded kid and a tough kid.”

Smith tied the record of UCLA’s Marques Johnson, who made 11 shots without a miss against California on Feb. 27, 1976. Oregon State’s Steve Johnson made all 13 of his shots against Hawaii Hilo on Dec. 5, 1979--the record for a Pac-10 player in a nonconference game.

Smith, who also had seven rebounds, had 10 field goals 7:04 into the second half, then went to the bench at the 9:32 mark when he picked up his fourth foul. About five minutes later, he returned.

He passed up one shot with an assist to Donnell Knight, but got the record with a one-handed dunk off a missed shot by Kyle Dodd with 1:33 remaining.

Washington (9-14, 3-8) got 14 points each from Curtis Allen and Michael Johnson.