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Smith quickly asserting himself at Indiana

It hasn't taken long for Justin Smith to make his impact for Indiana's men's basketball team.

The Stevenson graduate led the team with 17 rebounds through three games and is averaging 9.3 points.

Smith recorded his first career double-double in the Hoosiers' second game of the season, an 86-77 win over Howard in the opening round of the Hoosier Tip-Off Classic.

The 6-foot-7 Smith had 16 points and 12 rebounds while taking advantage of the sprained ankle that limited Howard's Juwan Morgan to just five minutes in the game.

"I would say it's just staying ready," Smith said on the school's website account of the game. "I try to get reps at any position so whenever my name is called, I'm able to step into that position and do it well."

He started one game and came off the bench in two for the Hoosiers (1-2).

Smith scored 10 points in an 84-68 loss to No. 23 Seton Hall.

At Stevenson, he was a two-time Daily Herald player of the year and was one of the most prolific dunkers in the area's recent history. He dunked six times in a game against Crete-Monee and a dozen times total. Smith averaged 21 points and 9.8 rebounds as a senior last winter at Stevenson.

Women's soccer

North Park junior defender Kyle Robson (Libertyville) has started all 22 games for the No. 5 Vikings.

His defensive play has been instrumental in the Vikings' 20-win season as the defense has allowed only 13 goals while recording 14 shutouts.

North Park, champion of the College Conference of Ilinois and Wisconsin, advanced to the Division III final four for the first time in the school's history by defeating St Thomas University in the sectional finals on Sunday.

Women's basketball

DePauw University 6-foot freshman forward Claire Keefe (Libertyville) scored 20 points in her first collegiate game, including 16 in the second half to lead the 15th-ranked Tigers to a 64-53 win at Wisconsin Lutheran in the season opener for both schools.

A four-year varsity player for Libertyville coach Greg Pedersen, Keefe surpassed 1,000 career points. She scored a career-high 24 points, including two 3-pointers, on 10-of-12 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds in the Wildcats' Class 4A sectional semifinal loss to two-time defending state runner-up Fremd.

The three-time all-conference and two-time all-area selection averaged 11.8 points (47-percent shooting) with 8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.2 steals per game her senior year at Libertyville.

Smigileski commits

Grayslake Central second baseman Morgan Smigileski has made a verbal commitment to Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

The senior helped lead the Rams past Richmond Burton, 11-1, in the Antioch Class 3A sectional semifinal last spring when she belted her third and fourth homers of the season in her first two at-bats.

Football

Valparaiso junior linebacker Nick Turner (Warren) led the Crusaders with 13 tackles (8 solo, 5 assists) in a 36-28 win over Butler. The win gave Butler five wins for the first time since 2007.

Turner's 10 tackles were the second most for the Crusaders in an 8-7 win over Dayton that lifted Valparaiso to its first winning season since 2003.

• Mundelein quarterback Anthony Norris has been invited to play in Legacy's first Senior All-Star football game this weekend. "I can't wait to compete against some of the top players in the Midwest area," he said on twitter.

Let us know

Please email items on Lake County athletes now playing at the collegiate level to jleusch@dailyherald.com.

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