Shooting stumps Metro

By Kyle Ringo
The Metropolitan

Poor shooting, the fatigue of a long season or just plain bad luck might have combined to end the Metro womenâs basketball season, but coach Darryl Smith isnât frowning about it.

ãI was disappointed for the kids,ä Smith said. ãBut I wasnât disappointed in them.

ãFor me personally, this was just a great team. I enjoyed every second.ä

The Roadrunners lost a North Central Regional first round game March 6 in Grand Forks, ND.  74-64 to the University of  Northern Colorado.

Metro shot just 18 percent in the first half of the game as UNC raced to a lead.

Metro missed its first nine shots and made just one of its first 21 attempts.

ãI think this team shot bad, but we didnât look bad,ä Smith said.

The Roadrunners managed to keep the game close enough for a chance to win near the end, but they couldnât overcome the early shooting woes and point-guard Stephanie Allen fouling out with 7 minutes to play.

ãWe had good looks,ä Allen said. ãWe stole the ball. We just couldnât make anything.ä

Allen led Metro with 15 points and senior Kristi Baxter added 12.

UNC limited Forward Farrah Magee, the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Player of the Year, to 3-of-21 shooting.

A win would have sent Metro one game further than it had ever been in the NCAA tournament.
 

Smith is choosing  to focus on the teamâs success this season with an undersized lineup as opposed to dwelling on the loss.

ãThey werenât very big,ä Smith said of his team. ãBut if you could measure the size of someoneâs heart, we were really big.ä

Smith said he expects to be back for another shot at a Regional win sometime before Allen a sophomore graduates.

ãItâs up to her to take us to the next level,ä Smith said. ãAnd Iâve told her that.ä
 

Allen, who averaged 15.3 points per game as a freshman upped her production to 17.3 as a sophomore and said she learned to play under Smith without being intimidated. Smith said she could wind up being Metroâs best point guard ever.