Tag: Naismith Defensive Player of the Year

LSU’s Angel Reese selected as a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year semifinalist

Reese is one of 10 semifinalists for the national award.

[autotag]Angel Reese[/autotag] has been stacking up conference awards this season, but with the regular season in the books and the No. 5 LSU Tigers set to begin their postseason run, she may also be in line for some national discussions.

On Monday, Reese was named a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. She’s one of 10 semifinalists and is joined by fellow SEC athletes Brea Beal and Aliyah Boston, both of whom play for South Carolina.

Reese is also one of just three underclassmen among the semifinalists.

A sophomore transfer from Maryland, Reese has played a major role in the leap forward the Tigers took this winter. She averaged 23.7 points and 16 rebounds during the regular season, in addition to 1.5 blocks and 1.8 steals. She leads the team in all four of those metrics.

Reese’s defensive prowess is apparent from the moment you start watching this LSU team, and it’s no surprise she’s garnering national attention as the No. 5 Tigers finished the season 27-1.

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Auburn’s Walker Kessler named Naismith Defensive Player of the Year

Walker Kessler has been named the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.

[autotag]Walker Kessler[/autotag] had a historic season defensively for Auburn and he received recognition for that Sunday. Auburn’s center was named the 2021-22 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year in New Orleans Sunday, during a ceremony at the Final Four.

He is the first Auburn player to win the award and beat out Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren, Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe, and Duke’s Mark Williams for the honor. He also won the NABC DPOY award earlier this week and was named the SEC DPOY earlier this season.

The former North Carolina Tar Heel thrived after joining Auburn last summer. He averaged 11.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.6 blocks and was named an All-American. His two triple-doubles were the second and third in Auburn history.

His 4.6 blocks per game were tied with Western Kentucky’s Jamarion Sharp for most among Division I players. Kessler had a 19.1% block rate, meaning he clocked nearly one in every five shot attempts when he was on the court.

Kessler’s historic season could be his only one at Auburn as he is now deciding between entering the NBA draft or returning to Auburn for his junior season. Underclassmen have until April 24 to enter the draft process.

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Dawn Staley, Aliyah Boston take home Coach of the Year and Player of the Year ahead of Friday’s Final Four

Dawn Staley and Aliyah Boston are big winners on Wednsday!

The Gamecocks had a few major wins on Wednesday.

Both standout center Aliyah Boston and head coach Dawn Staley received some recognition for their contributions to South Carolina’s 33-2 season.

Boston was named the 2022 Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year after averaging 16.8 points and 12.2 rebounds. Boston’s POTY campaign was not only highlighted by her SEC record-breaking 27 consecutive double-doubles but also her 2.5 blocks per game and effectiveness on the defensive end. So, you shouldn’t be surprised to learn that Boston also earned the 2022 Naismith Women’s Defensive Player of the Year honor.

While Boston took home the on-the-court awards, Staley was there to grab the accolades that recognize those on the sideline. She was named the 2022 Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Year after leading the Gamecocks to the Final Four as they went through the entire season without relinquishing their No. 1 spot in the rankings.

The COTY award is her second.

Surely the 2022 award winners are thrilled to be recognized for their success. I’d bet there’s another honor that both Boston and Staley are greedy for — being crowned national champions.

The Gamecocks had the shortest championship odds (+162 at Tipico) entering the NCAA Tournament and remain the favorites to win it all.

Can they avenge their 2021 Final Four heartbreak?

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Tari Eason named a semifinalist for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year

Eason is LSU’s leading scorer with 16.5 points, and he has 31 blocks and 55 steals.

It’s been a dominant season for LSU’s Tari Eason, and he may be bringing home some hardware at the end of the year. He has been named one of the semifinalists for Naismith Defensive Player of Year, one of ten semifinalists for the award.

Along with his team-leading 16.5 points per game, Eason has 31 blocks and 55 steals. The forward is averaging 1.1 blocks and two steals per game this season.

Eason is the type of player that Tigers coach Will Wade likes: a long, athletic player that can play on both sides of the floor. He is a transfer player from Cincinnati, and the sophomore played his first season with the Bearcats last year before transferring to LSU.

 

While with the Bearcats, Eason played in 23 games, starting in eight. He averaged 7.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game and also shot 46% from the field. His 1.3 blocks per game ranked fourth in the American Athletic Conference.

With his 16.5 points per game this year, Eason rose his game to another level. He is shooting 52% from the field and 36% from three-point land, helping the Tigers to a 20-9 record so far this season.

He is a threat on both sides of the floor and is getting better. Eason’s ability to play both ways will be a critical factor in him potentially getting drafted. If he can continue to improve his three-point shot, his draft stock will rise.

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