One could say that University of Denver sophomore point guard Emiko Smith (Los Angeles, Calif.) came into this season as a junior. Considering the playing time she earned during the 2009-10 season as a freshman, she has spent enough time on the court for two seasons.

By the end of the season the Pioneers were down to a slim rotation because of injury. Smith had started all 31 games, averaged a team-leading 36.1 min/game, and led the Sun Belt Conference in assists. It is clear she can play, but as a sophomore Smith is going to have a difficult time staying out of opponent's game plans.

"The coaches have definitely been on me to step up my game. I am not a freshman anymore," Smith says, a 5-foot-5-inch guard with the intensity of a prizefighter on the court, but an irremovable smile off of it. "I am coached at a high level and this helps me continue to play at a high level."

Head coach Erik Johnson recruited Smith to be a "floor general" and during her freshman season he got just that. The challenge this season becomes getting her to maintain that leadership, but also better her game as opponents are now attempting to shut down her production.

"We have to continue to raise the bar for her," Johnson says. "If you are a great player it is not good enough to just be really good. You have to continue to be great. We are going to keep challenging Emi and get her to maintain that high level."

Smith admits that she came into this season in much better shape after summer workouts and with an awareness of the added leadership role.

"I guess it comes with the experience and the position," Smith says grinning. "It is kind of in my nature to be the liaison between coaches and players. Now I have to take the good and the bad from last year and think about them as I continue to make myself a better leader."

The addition of freshman point guard Quincey Noonan (Broomfield, Colo.) has helped to raise that bar, too. Prior to the season it was thought that Noonan would be able to provide Smith with some much needed rest throughout the game.

However, during preseason practices it became clear that Noonan, the 2009-10 Gatorade Colorado Girl's Basketball Player of the Year, was too good to keep of the court. This has created an amazing one-two punch with Smith and Noonan running the backcourt.

"Having her in the line-up with me is great," Smith says. "She is such an athlete and when she gets in there it is a whole different dynamic."

Looking at the stats so far this season, it appears that Smith is starting right where she left off as a freshman. She recorded seven assists in the 64-58 loss to Wyoming and seven more in the 70-69 win against Colorado - she averaged 5.0 assists per game last season.

When asked about avoiding a "sophomore slump" Smith admitted with a laugh, "I have never heard of that." Ignorance is bliss, and in Smith's case, it really is a good thing.