Photo by: T.H. Weber
Tyler Smithpeters reflects on Saluki Basketball career
02/19/2018 | 1:19:00 | Men's Basketball
CARBONDALE, Ill. — With Senior Day fast approaching, Southern Illinois senior guard Tyler Smithpeters took some time recently to reflect on his five-year Saluki career.
It seems like just yesterday when, as a true freshman, he hit the walk-off 3-point shot against Illinois State in front of a sell-out crowd at SIU Arena on March 1, 2014. Head coach Barry Hinson called that game an 'I was there game,' Saying, "I was there when that kid from Harrisburg made the three."
He's also experienced his share of trials, like when he suffered an injury in the home opener against Wright State last year that wiped out what would have been his senior season. If it weren't for an NCAA medical redshirt, Smithpeters wouldn't be on the team now.
Smithpeters grew up in nearby Harrisburg, a straight drive east on Illinois Highway 13. He was born into a basketball family. His dad, Randy Smithpeters, coached at Harrisburg High School, where Tyler won a state championship. Tyler's brother, Kyle, is the head coach at John A. Logan and played at SIU under Chris Lowery.Â
What is less known about Tyler is how important SIU is to him and how the last year and a half has changed his life and helped him grow as a person.Â
"I think I've matured tremendously. I don't know what other people think, but I think I have. You might have to ask coach Hinson that," Smithpeters said with a laugh, "I just try to go out there and play hard every day. The game could not be there for me one day. Something could happen and boom, it's all gone."
Smithpeters has taken that mentality into his final year at SIU and is having easily the best season of his career. He is averaging 7.7 points off the bench as the team's sixth man and recently moved into the top 10 all-time at SIU in 3-point shooting. He has made at least one 3-pointer in 14-straight games and SIU is 11-5 when he makes multiple treys.
More importantly, Smithpeters is helping get Saluki basketball to where it used to be. As a kid growing up in the area, he spent many nights at the arena watching the Dawgs play and remembers well the mid-2000s when the arena was packed every night and the team was in the national conversation.Â
"I try to tell my teammates stories about how it was here. The way the Arena was every night and how crazy the Dawg Pound was," Smithpeters said. "I think we're getting there with how we've been playing of late."
With his senior season coming to a close and graduation on the horizon, Smithpeters is proud that he will leave SIU with his degree. He plans for a career in education and perhaps following his dad and brother into coaching.Â
Smithpeters said that he doesn't know what his legacy will be at SIU and that it isn't for him to decide, but he hopes that people will say he was approachable and that he played his hardest. Moreover, he said he hopes he set a good example for people from backgrounds similar to his.
"I've been blessed and thankful for my opportunities to play at SIU, especially since I came from a small town in southern Illinois," Smithpeters said. "I hope that kids and other people see what I've done and know that it's not impossible to make it to a Division I school when you come from a small town."
It seems like just yesterday when, as a true freshman, he hit the walk-off 3-point shot against Illinois State in front of a sell-out crowd at SIU Arena on March 1, 2014. Head coach Barry Hinson called that game an 'I was there game,' Saying, "I was there when that kid from Harrisburg made the three."
He's also experienced his share of trials, like when he suffered an injury in the home opener against Wright State last year that wiped out what would have been his senior season. If it weren't for an NCAA medical redshirt, Smithpeters wouldn't be on the team now.
Smithpeters grew up in nearby Harrisburg, a straight drive east on Illinois Highway 13. He was born into a basketball family. His dad, Randy Smithpeters, coached at Harrisburg High School, where Tyler won a state championship. Tyler's brother, Kyle, is the head coach at John A. Logan and played at SIU under Chris Lowery.Â
What is less known about Tyler is how important SIU is to him and how the last year and a half has changed his life and helped him grow as a person.Â
"I think I've matured tremendously. I don't know what other people think, but I think I have. You might have to ask coach Hinson that," Smithpeters said with a laugh, "I just try to go out there and play hard every day. The game could not be there for me one day. Something could happen and boom, it's all gone."
Smithpeters has taken that mentality into his final year at SIU and is having easily the best season of his career. He is averaging 7.7 points off the bench as the team's sixth man and recently moved into the top 10 all-time at SIU in 3-point shooting. He has made at least one 3-pointer in 14-straight games and SIU is 11-5 when he makes multiple treys.
More importantly, Smithpeters is helping get Saluki basketball to where it used to be. As a kid growing up in the area, he spent many nights at the arena watching the Dawgs play and remembers well the mid-2000s when the arena was packed every night and the team was in the national conversation.Â
"I try to tell my teammates stories about how it was here. The way the Arena was every night and how crazy the Dawg Pound was," Smithpeters said. "I think we're getting there with how we've been playing of late."
With his senior season coming to a close and graduation on the horizon, Smithpeters is proud that he will leave SIU with his degree. He plans for a career in education and perhaps following his dad and brother into coaching.Â
Smithpeters said that he doesn't know what his legacy will be at SIU and that it isn't for him to decide, but he hopes that people will say he was approachable and that he played his hardest. Moreover, he said he hopes he set a good example for people from backgrounds similar to his.
"I've been blessed and thankful for my opportunities to play at SIU, especially since I came from a small town in southern Illinois," Smithpeters said. "I hope that kids and other people see what I've done and know that it's not impossible to make it to a Division I school when you come from a small town."
Players Mentioned
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