Kearney deals Metro first RMAC loss

By Kyle Ringo
The Metropolitan

Metro womenâs basketball coach Darryl Smith sits in his third floor office inside the Tivoli ripping off a series of one-liners to every caller or visitor to invade the 15-by-15 cubicle that he shares with a John Wayne poster.

He is known for his witty personality off the court and his fiery demeanor on it. But, for what ever reason, Smith is not yet recognized for what he does best ÷ win.

His current group of players are well on their way to another 20 win season, something the coach has managed five of seven previous seasons at Metro.

And yet, despite all the success, Metro is not generally looked at as the best team in its own conference. At least not since the school joined the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference last year.

That distinction has belonged to Nebraska-Kearney, and it seems to have been proven once again when Metro lost embarrassingly Jan. 16 to the Lopers at Kearney 70-45.

But Smith will argue that point with a quick perusal of the box score. Itâs an effective argument.

ãWe took 55 shots,ä Smith said. ãThey took 50. They got six offensive putbacks in the second half. If they donât make the putbacks, that whole game is a lot different.ä

Then there is the field goal percentage. Metro shot .327 while Kearney hit more than half of its attempts, nailing .540 for the game.

Smith points to the rebounding margin, a 44-23 total in favor of Kearney.
And the capper? Kearney turned the ball over more frequently.

ãIâll tell you what,ä Smith said. ãWe are going to give them all they want (at Metro).ä

So that is where the current season stands. Seven games and three weeks separate the Roadrunners from their own Bronco-like shot at revenge.

In a strange twist, the next game with the Lopers will be on Friday the 13th of February, which might be a sign of things to come to a superstitious person.

Normally at this point in the story, the customary coachesâ quote about playing it one game at a time and not overlooking teams is inserted.

But not this story ÷ not Smith.

There is little doubt that the top two programs in the RMAC reside at Metro and Kearney. And although upsets are possible in every game, it is likely that both teams will sweep through the next three weeks setting up a game that could decide the regular season conference title and a top seed in the RMAC tournament.
ãWe are almost everybodyâs rival,ä Smith said. ãEvery time we step on the floor, itâs the other teamâs championship game.ä

ãWe shot horrible and rebounded horrible,ä said Metro forward Farrah Magee, who leads the team in scoring and rebounding. ãOur shots just were not falling.ä

But both Magee and Smith say things will be different next time.

Metro will face Regis University on Jan. 23 at the Auraria Events Center at 5 p.m. The Rangers are 9-7, 6-3 and currently fourth in the Eastern Division of the RMAC.