Boston Named to Wooden Award National Ballot
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina sophomore Aliyah Boston continues to be in the national player of the year conversation, joining 14 other student-athletes on the 2021 Women’s National Ballot for the John R. Wooden Award presented by Wendy’s today on ESPN College GameDay. It is her second appearance on the ballot in as many seasons.
Candidates for this award are selected by the Wooden Award National Advisory Board, and voting for the Wooden Award will take place March 16-23 with voters taking into consideration an player’s entire season of play as well as the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The finalists for the 2021 Wooden Award will be announced on March 26.
The SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year and an All-SEC First-Team selection, Boston is also a semifinalist for the Naismith Trophy and for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year. She is on the Lisa Leslie Award Top 5, and is on the most recent watch list for the Wade Trophy as well.
Boston is ranked 13th in the country with 11.8 rebounds per game and has pulled down double-digit rebounds 20 times through 24 games this season, including twice grabbing a season-high 16 boards. Those rebounding numbers include 3.9 on the offensive end, which is good for 19th in the NCAA. Her 2.8 blocks per game are 12th in the country and are made up of 68 blocks, which ranks eighth in program single-season history.
Boston’s 13 double-doubles this season rank 10th in the nation and give her 26 in her career, which ranks 10th in program history. She is the only Gamecock in program history to record multiple triple-doubles in her career. Her 16-point, 11-rebound, 10-block outing against No. 22/23 Georgia (Jan. 21) was the program’s first triple-double in SEC play and its first against a ranked opponent.
This season, Boston averages a double-double overall (13.1 ppg/11.8 rpg), in SEC games (13.3 ppg/12.3 rpg) and in 11 games against ranked opponents (13.5 ppg/12.1 rpg).
The No. 7/7 Gamecocks (20-4, 14-2 SEC) will face No. 14/16 Tennessee in the SEC Tournament semifinals today at 6:30 p.m. in Greenville, S.C. The game will air on ESPNU.
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 Wooden Award National Ballot
Candidates for this award are selected by the Wooden Award National Advisory Board, and voting for the Wooden Award will take place March 16-23 with voters taking into consideration an player’s entire season of play as well as the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The finalists for the 2021 Wooden Award will be announced on March 26.
The SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year and an All-SEC First-Team selection, Boston is also a semifinalist for the Naismith Trophy and for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year. She is on the Lisa Leslie Award Top 5, and is on the most recent watch list for the Wade Trophy as well.
Boston is ranked 13th in the country with 11.8 rebounds per game and has pulled down double-digit rebounds 20 times through 24 games this season, including twice grabbing a season-high 16 boards. Those rebounding numbers include 3.9 on the offensive end, which is good for 19th in the NCAA. Her 2.8 blocks per game are 12th in the country and are made up of 68 blocks, which ranks eighth in program single-season history.
Boston’s 13 double-doubles this season rank 10th in the nation and give her 26 in her career, which ranks 10th in program history. She is the only Gamecock in program history to record multiple triple-doubles in her career. Her 16-point, 11-rebound, 10-block outing against No. 22/23 Georgia (Jan. 21) was the program’s first triple-double in SEC play and its first against a ranked opponent.
This season, Boston averages a double-double overall (13.1 ppg/11.8 rpg), in SEC games (13.3 ppg/12.3 rpg) and in 11 games against ranked opponents (13.5 ppg/12.1 rpg).
The No. 7/7 Gamecocks (20-4, 14-2 SEC) will face No. 14/16 Tennessee in the SEC Tournament semifinals today at 6:30 p.m. in Greenville, S.C. The game will air on ESPNU.
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 Wooden Award National Ballot
Aliyah Boston, South Carolina
Paige Bueckers, UConn
Charli Collier, Texas
Elissa Cunane, NC State
Chelsea Dungee, Arkansas
Dana Evans, Louisville
Arella Guirantes, Rutgers
Naz Hillmon, Michigan
Rhyne Howard, Kentucky
Haley Jones, Stanford
Natasha Mack, Oklahoma State
Aari McDonald, Arizona
Michaela Onyenwere, UCLA
NaLyssa Smith, Baylor
Kiana Williams, Stanford
