He later transferred to Kentucky Wesleyan College and helped the school win its first NCAA Division II championship in 1966.
[3] During his sophomore year (his first on the varsity team), Smith averaged 9.2 points per game (PPG),[6] and led the school in scoring.
[4][7] Together with Dallas Thornton and George Tinsley, he helped the Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers to the NCAA Division II championship in 1966, the first of eight titles for the school.
[4] In the final 15 seconds of the championship game, Smith made a layup to break a 51–51 tie and give the Panthers the victory over Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
[4][9] Smith received two All-American selections during his college career and was honored as the All-NCAA South Region Most Outstanding Player twice.
[10] Smith made his ABA debut with the Muskies on October 22, 1967,[2] scoring 24 points to go along with 14 rebounds against the Kentucky Colonels.
[11] He played 77 games during his rookie season (18th most in the ABA), recording the eleventh-lowest turnover percentage (9.7) and fourth-most defensive win shares (5.2) that year.
[12] He was part of the inaugural class inducted into the Panthers Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013, alongside Thornton and Tinsley.