Boston a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalist
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina women’s basketball sophomore Aliyah Boston is one of 10 semifinalists for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today. The 6-foot-5 forward was a finalist for the award in 2020 and is one of two SEC entries on the list.
Boston is 10th in the nation with 3.0 blocked shots per game this season with 3.8 blocks per SEC game and 3.5 against ranked opponents. Her 7.6 defensive rebounds per game are 22nd in the country, and she contributes 1.2 steals per game as well.
On top of her defensive effort, Boston is 12th in the country in rebounds per game (11.8) and 14th in double-doubles (11). She has pulled down double-digit rebounds in five straight games and in 14 of the last 15 outings. She averages a double-double overall (13.3 ppg / 11.8 rpg), in SEC games (13.9 ppg / 12.4 rpg) and in the Gamecocks’ 10 games against ranked opponents (13.8 ppg / 12.2 rpg).
Boston is on the most current watch list of all three National Player of the Year awards and is among the top 10 for the Lisa Leslie Award, which she won in 2021.
The No. 5/3 Gamecocks play their penultimate SEC regular-season game on Thu., Feb. 25, welcoming Ole Miss to Colonial Life Arena for a 1 p.m. tipoff. The game will stream live on SEC Network+.
Continue to check GamecocksOnline.com and the team’s social media accounts (@GamecockWBB) for the most up-to-date information on the women’s basketball season.
2021 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalists
Boston is 10th in the nation with 3.0 blocked shots per game this season with 3.8 blocks per SEC game and 3.5 against ranked opponents. Her 7.6 defensive rebounds per game are 22nd in the country, and she contributes 1.2 steals per game as well.
On top of her defensive effort, Boston is 12th in the country in rebounds per game (11.8) and 14th in double-doubles (11). She has pulled down double-digit rebounds in five straight games and in 14 of the last 15 outings. She averages a double-double overall (13.3 ppg / 11.8 rpg), in SEC games (13.9 ppg / 12.4 rpg) and in the Gamecocks’ 10 games against ranked opponents (13.8 ppg / 12.2 rpg).
Boston is on the most current watch list of all three National Player of the Year awards and is among the top 10 for the Lisa Leslie Award, which she won in 2021.
The No. 5/3 Gamecocks play their penultimate SEC regular-season game on Thu., Feb. 25, welcoming Ole Miss to Colonial Life Arena for a 1 p.m. tipoff. The game will stream live on SEC Network+.
Continue to check GamecocksOnline.com and the team’s social media accounts (@GamecockWBB) for the most up-to-date information on the women’s basketball season.
2021 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalists
Aliyah Boston, South Carolina
Veronica Burton, Northwestern
Charli Collier, Texas
Elissa Cunane, NC State
Natasha Mack, Oklahoma State
Aari McDonald, Arizona
Nancy Mulkey, Rice
Olivia Nelson-Ododa, UConn
Chastity Patterson, Kentucky
DiDi Richards, Baylor
