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Harris, Boston Named Naismith Trophy Semifinalists
Women's Basketball  . 

Harris, Boston Named Naismith Trophy Semifinalists

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Two South Carolina Gamecocks are among the 10 semifinalists for the 2020 Citizen Naismith Trophy for Women’s Player of the Year, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today. Senior guard Tyasha Harris and freshman forward Aliyah Boston have established themselves among the best in the nation throughout the season. This season marks Harris’ first as a semifinalist for the award, and Boston is the only freshman on the list.
 
Harris has spent a career as the quintessential point guard, known more for pushing others into the spotlight than enjoying it herself. She is the program’s all-time assist leader and ranks among the SEC’s all-time top 10 in career assists as well. This season, she has struck the ideal balance of passing and scoring herself to lead a young Gamecock team to its fifth SEC regular-season title in seven seasons. She is among the SEC’s top 30 scorers at 12.0 points per game and ranks 17th in the nation in assists per game (5.6). Her 2.8 assist-to-turnover ratio is seventh in the country and includes eight games of no assists.
 
Boston opened her career with the first college debut triple-double in NCAA Div. I history and continued to elevate her game over the next 29 outings. She is second on the team in scoring (12.9 ppg) and leads the Gamecocks in rebounding (9.2 rpg). Boston averages a double-double against nationally ranked opponents (13.8 ppg, 10.8 rpg) and in SEC games. Six of her 12 double-doubles this season came against nationally ranked opponents, including four against ranked SEC foes. Boston already holds program freshman records for double-doubles, blocked shots and offensive rebounds.
 
The four finalists for the award will be announced on March 20, 2020, and fans will have a chance to vote for their favorite player of the four beginning that same day through April 1, by visiting NaismithTrophy.com/vote to cast their ballot. The fan vote will account for five percent of the overall vote. The 2020 Citizen Naismith Trophy for Women’s Player of the Year will be announced on April 4, 2020. The winner will be honored at her school on a later date.
 
The No. 1/1 Gamecocks (29-1, 16-0 SEC) earned the top seed in this week’s SEC Tournament in Greenville, S.C. South Carolina will take on the winner of the game between No. 9-seed Georgia and eighth-seeded Alabama on Fri., March 6, at noon on SEC Network.
 
 
2020 Citizen Naismith Trophy Semifinalists

Aliyah Boston, South Carolina
Kaila Charles, Maryland
Lauren Cox, Baylor
Dana Evans, Louisville
Tyasha Harris, South Carolina
Ruthy Hebard, Oregon
Rhyne Howard, Kentucky
Sabrina Ionescu, Oregon
Aari McDonald, Arizona
Satou Sabally, Oregon