Buffalo’s Joanna Smith nearing 1,000 career points

Women’s Hoops fans were spoiled in 2014-15. Mackenzie Loesing and Kristen Sharkey each passed 1,000 career points in the regular season, and it looked like Loesing and Alexus Malone would steadily climb up the UB all-time lists in the next season.

Instead, Loesing’s UB career ended to injury and Malone’s to transfer.

Women’s Hoops fans were spoiled (at times) in 2015-16. The team raced out to a 6-0 start and closed the season with an improbable MAC Championship from the conference’s eight seed.

2016-2017 is the best of both worlds. Felisha Legette-Jack’s crew is once again 6-0, and senior JoAnna Smith is poised to join Sharkey, Loesing, and 16 other Bulls and Royals in UB’s 1,000 point club.

Smith’s 621 points as a junior after totaling just 223 in her first two seasons was the third-best season in UB history and vaulted her into position to clear 1,000 points before MAC play as a senior. Needing 156 points to get there, Smith has scored 73 in UB’s first six games, somewhat below last season’s 18 ppg pace as a part of a deeper offensive group.

With 83 points to go, the schedule is unfavorable for Smith to hit the mark in Alumni: Two of UB’s next three are at home, but then UB hits the road for two before opening MAC play at Alumni against Miami.

If her current pace holds, that Miami game could be it, but with apologies to the home fans we’re all hoping Jo speeds up.