University of Connecticut Athletics
Tarin Smith Ready for Leadership Role in 2018-19
10/8/2018 2:07:00 PM | Men's Basketball
New Jersey Native Enjoying First Few Months in Storrs
STORRS, Conn. – There was no shortage of college basketball programs offering Tarin Smith a place to play his fifth year. After all, he was an older, experienced guard coming off two solid seasons at Duquesne, the last one impressive enough to be named the Atlantic 10's Sixth Man of the Year.
When the 2018-19 season gets under way, however, Smith will be in a UConn uniform. So what made Smith decided to spend his final college season as a Husky? Â
"I just feel like it was a perfect fit for me for a lot of reasons – from the coach, to the new start," Smith said. "I just felt that this is a school where the basketball history is unmatched and it's a school I grew up watching. So to be able to play here, and maybe leave my mark on the program, is just something I wanted to do."
There are numerous cross-connections with the UConn program scattered throughout Smith's basketball history, starting in high school, where he made the 90-minute journey every day from his home in Ocean Township, N.J., to Jersey City to play for the legendary hoop program at St. Anthony High School and UConn Coach Dan Hurley's father, Hall of Famer Bob Hurley Sr.
"I wanted the best for myself," Smith said. "I knew how I wanted to be coached and I wanted to play against the best competition in New Jersey."
There are plenty of other UConn dots that can be connected to Smith. He began his college career at Nebraska, where current UConn assistant coach Kenya Hunter was an assistant. Smith then transferred to Duquesne, Hunter's alma mater, competing in the Atlantic 10, against Dan Hurley's Rhode Island teams – getting a good feel for Hurley's coaching style and giving Hurley a few chances to watch Smith play.
It all factored into Smith's desire to join the Huskies.
"Sure, playing for Coach's dad had something to do with it, just because I knew the family," Smith explained. "I knew what Dan Hurley was about. I've obviously known him for a while now, so that also attracted me."
The basketball attraction was mutual.
"When Tarin decided to transfer, we thought he would be a key guy for us to get here – a guy who could change the work ethic, change the mindset," Dan Hurley said. "We wanted to be smart about the kind of players we brought in to what was a fragile program. Tarin is a smart, experienced player who knows how to work hard. He will definitely help us."
Smith, who averaged 12.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.2 assists last season for Duquesne, admits it's felt a bit strange at times, as one of the team's older players, but also one of its newest.
"Yeah, it's a little weird – sometimes I feel like an old veteran, sometimes I feel like the new guy," said Smith, who earned his degree in Sports Marketing. "When I'm on the court and we're just playing basketball, I feel like one of the older guys, as far as my knowledge and experience, but there's also sometimes just getting to know guys and just walking around the facility, I feel like a new kid. It's kind of a two-sided situation."
But it's a situation that he relishes.
"It's going great," he said. "I'm really enjoying my time here -- having a lot of fun, getting used to the guys, getting used to playing with them, getting used to the system, the coaching staff. The guys have made me feel real welcome since I got here. They're all my brothers now."
With one final college season remaining, Smith is determined to make it a memorable one, especially because he's going to spend it at UConn.
""We're definitely going to surprise people," he said. "That's the mission and goal of everyone in that locker room. That's why we work so hard every day. For me, it's been great so far --- everything I thought it would be and more."
The UConn men's basketball team will open its 2018-19 season with an exhibition game against Southern Connecticut State University on Nov. 2 at Gampel Pavilion, tipoff at 7 p.m.
