Greg Smith (23) is pictured with his brother Dwight (35) and Princeton Dotson head coach Jerry Withrow.
One of Princeton’s native sons will have his jersey retired next month by Western Kentucky University.
Former Princeton Dotson basketball standout, the late Dwight Smith, will be honored with a ceremony at halftime of the Hilltoppers’ home game against Texas El Paso on Saturday, Feb. 4. Tip off is set for 3 p.m.
Smith will be just the 11th person in program history to join this prestigious club.
Western Kentucky announced the honor on Tuesday.
“Dwight Smith is one of WKU basketball’s all-time impactful players and an important component of the rich history of excellence and tradition of our program,” said Director of Athletics Todd Stewart. “He played a vital role on a pair of conference champion and NCAA Tournament teams, and along with Clem Haskins helped integrate WKU basketball. His jersey certainly deserves the prominence of being placed in the rafters of E.A. Diddle Arena, and we are excited to honor him alongside his family on February 4!”
Smith, a 6-4 guard, starred on three of the greatest teams in the long and illustrious history of the sport on The Hill. Those clubs won 66 of 81 games (81.5%), including a sparkling 31-3 record (91.2%) in games played in E.A. Diddle Arena, and posted a 37-5 mark (88.1%) in Ohio Valley Conference competition, winning two league and conference tournament titles and making three straight post-season tourney appearances – two (1966 & ‘67) in the NCAA Championships and one (1965) in the NIT.
Playing in a period when college freshmen were not eligible for varsity competition, Smith earned All-OVC honors three times, falling just three rebounds shy of averaging a “double-double” each season. Still, he remains one of just nine Toppers on record to average a “double-double” for his career – 14.6 points per game and 11.0 rebounds a contest. The others on that elite list Jim McDaniels (1969-71), Ralph Crosthwaite (1955, ‘57-59), Tom Marshall (1951-54), Smith’s teammate Clem Haskins (1965-67), Art Spoelstra (1952-54), Charlie Osborne (1958-60), Chris Marcus (2000-02) and Bob Daniels (1954-57).
Smith was the top rebounding guard in the nation in both his sophomore (11.3 rpg) and senior (11.9 rpg) seasons. He was regarded as one of the best defensive guards in the nation at that time, due in part to his top-notch prowess on the defensive glass. Only 13 Hilltoppers on record reached the elite 1,000-point threshold in fewer games – he topped 1,000 in his 70th game. And, he was only the 8th Topper to reach 1,000 points at the time he completed his career on The Hill.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ 4th pick in the 3rd round of the 1967 NBA draft, Smith died in an automobile accident on May 14, 1967.
Through the years, honors have continued to come Smith’s way. He is a member for the WKU Athletic Hall of Fame (Class of 1995), the Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame (2016), the OVC 40th Anniversary Team (1988); and, he was selected as a member of the WKU Basketball All-Century Team in 2018.
Meanwhile, in three years on the varsity team at Princeton Dotson, Dwight Smith helped the Bearcats win 80 of 99 games while averaging 22.3 points a game.
He totaled 2,210 career points over that time.
Dwight scored 24.2 points a game as a junior as Dotson compiled a 35-3 record but fell just short of a regional championship. The Bearcats bowed to Earlington 63-56 in the 2nd Region title tilt.
Against a stiffer schedule in 1962-63, Smith averaged 24.9 points and 17 rebounds a game as the Bearcats went 27-6 and ripped through the 2nd Region to earn their first bid to the KHSAA state tournament.
Smith’s high school career is one highlight after another.
Dwight was named Second Team All-State in 1961-62 and was the All-Area Outstanding Player on the 1962 Evansville Sunday Courier-Press All-Area Team.
Dwight scored 50 points in a 103-53 win over Franklin Lincoln that season in what was a big night for the Smith family. Greg had 16 points against Lincoln while Kay was crowned Miss Dotson at halftime.
Dwight Smith established a Butler Gym record with 39 points and 28 rebounds as Dotson beat Todd County in the Caldwell Invitational Tournament.
As a senior, Smith was a First Team All-State selection and a member of the All-State Tournament Team.
Dwight and Greg were both named to the 2nd Region All-Tournament Team after the duo outscored Earlington in the final by themselves.
Dwight scored 19 points and Greg had 18 as the Bearcats claimed a 54-36 decision in the regional championship game.
In a first-round win at the state tournament in Louisville, Dwight scored 30 points and grabbed 24 rebounds as the Bearcats beat Garrett, from Floyd County, 76-60.
Dotson lost 58-44 to Owensboro in the quarterfinal round. That was the last game in school history as integration ended the high school at Dotson and sent those students to Caldwell County High School the following year.
(Includes information from a WKU news release.)
One Response
Great job by all those involved in making this a reality. Thank you.