Coates and Wilson Part of Wooden Award Late Season Top 20
Feb. 8, 2017
COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina frontcourt standouts Alaina Coates and A’ja Wilson have been named to the Wooden Award Late Season Top 20 List, the Los Angeles Athletic Club announced on ESPNU Wednesday night.
The 15-player final ballot for the prestigious honor will be revealed prior to the NCAA Tournament on Sat., March 4. Wilson, one of five finalists for the award last season, has been on the final ballot in each of the last two years.
Coates has enjoyed her finest season as a Gamecock in her final year, sporting career highs in points per game (13.9) and rebounds per contest (11.6). The center’s .665 shooting percentage leads the SEC and ranks fifth nationally, and she has grabbed double-digit boards in each of Carolina’s games against top-10 opponents this season. Coates is one of three Gamecocks all-time to total 1,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds.
Wilson continues to play at an elite level in her junior season. She sits fifth among SEC players in scoring (17.0 ppg) and field goal percentage (.575), and her 2.2 blocks per contest rank third in the league and are tied for 35th in NCAA Division I. The forward has reached double figures in 18 of her 20 games this season, and her 212 career blocks and 105 swats in conference action are both program records.
No. 6/6 South Carolina returns to action Thursday for a home contest against Auburn. Tipoff from Colonial Life Arena is slated for 7 p.m., and the game can be seen on SEC Network+ through WatchESPN.
Wooden Award Late Season Top 20
Lindsay Allen, G, Notre Dame
Kristine Anigwe, C/F, California
Jordin Canada, G, UCLA
Alaina Coates, C, South Carolina
Nia Coffey, F, Northwestern
Makayla Epps, G, Kentucky
Alexis Jones, G, Baylor
Brionna Jones, C, Maryland
Erica McCall, F, Stanford
Kelsey Mitchell, G, Ohio State
Chanel Osahor, F/C, Washington
Alexis Peterson, G, Syracuse
Kelsey Plum, G, Washington
Katie Lou Samuelson, G/F, UConn
Brianna Turner, F, Notre Dame
Victoria Vivians, G, Mississippi State
Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, G, Maryland
Syndey Wiese, G, Oregon State
Gabby Williams, F, UConn
A’ja Wilson, F, South Carolina
