Education
When Tim Smith entered college in 2002, ETSU was still a member of the Southern Conference. As a freshman in 2002-2003 he scored 475 points, recorded 114 assists and also accumulated 73 steals. He was named the Southern Conference Freshman of the Year while guiding ETSU as runners-up in the conference"s North Division.
The Buccaneers also won the 2003 Southern Conference Tournament and earned an automatic berth into the National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament, but lost to Wake Forest, 76 to 73, in the first round.
As a sophomore in 2003-2004, Smith once again led ETSU to a successful season.
He reached the career 1,000-point mark after finishing the year with 565 points, and he also recorded 145 assists and 82 steals. ETSU were Southern Conference regular season and tournament champions, but once again lost in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament"s first round by three points.
Cincinnati defeated the Buccaneers, 80 to 77. Foreign the second consecutive season, however, Smith was named to the Southern Conference All-Tournament First Team.
He also led the team in scoring at 17.7 points per game and was named a First Team All-Conference honoree.
In 2004-2005, Smith"s junior year, he repeated as a Southern Conference First Team selection after recording 645 points, 123 assists and 62 steals.
The Buccaneers struggled despite his 22.2 points per game average and only finished with a 10–19 overall record.
East Tennessee State University moved to the Atlantic Sun Conference between his junior and senior seasons. As a senior in 2005-2006, Smith solidified his name in both the ETSU and National Collegiate Athletic Association record books In 28 games he recorded 95 steals, good for a 3.39 steals per game average that led National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I. His 22.0 points per game average led ETSU for a third straight season, and his 615 points scored that season brought his career total to exactly 2,300, the most in school history.
Smith"s 313 career steals is second in ETSU history to Keith Jennings" 334, but is still in the top 25 all-time in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition.
Smith was honored as the Atlantic Sun Conference Men"s Basketball Player of the Year in 2006 as well.