Boston, Henderson on Wooden Award National Ballot
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina women’s basketball is one of two teams with multiple entries on the John R. Wooden Award presented by Wendy’s National Ballot, the Los Angeles Athletic Club announced today on ESPNW. Junior Aliyah Boston and senior Destanni Henderson are among the five SEC players on the list, the most of any conference.
The 2022 SEC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, Boston continues to dominate this season with 22 consecutive double-doubles. In advanced metrics that measure a player’s impact on both ends of the court, she is the nation’s clear leader in win shares (13.1) and in player efficiency rating (45.6). In more traditional stats, Boston ranks sixth in the nation in rebounds per game (12.0), 10th in blocked shots (2.66), second in double-doubles (23), 21st in offensive rebounds per game (3.8) and 29th in field goal percentage (.545). Boston has been the team’s top scorer in 18 of the Gamecocks’ 29 games, and her 27 double-figure scoring games includes six 20-point outings.
Henderson earned All-SEC First Team status for the first time in her career and has risen to national prominence with her steady leadership of the top-ranked Gamecocks on both ends of the court. Her balance of scoring and distributing has the Gamecock offense running at a high rate, especially late in the season. Henderson has scored in double figures 14 times this season, including a 23-point outing in the regular-season finale, while handing out 4.2 assists per game. Her 1.96 assist-to-turnover ratio is fourth in the SEC. Defensively, Henderson’s ball pressure at the top of the defense has helped the Gamecocks lead the nation in field goal percentage defense (.326) and rank fourth in scoring defense (51.3 ppg).
Voting for the Wooden Award will take place March 15-22, and voters take into consideration a player’s entire season of play, as well as the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The finalists for the 2022 Wooden Award presented by Wendy’s will be announced on March. 30.
No. 1/1 South Carolina is back in action today at 5 p.m., facing Ole Miss in Nashville in the semifinals of the SEC Tournament. 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.
2022 Wooden Award National Ballot
The 2022 SEC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, Boston continues to dominate this season with 22 consecutive double-doubles. In advanced metrics that measure a player’s impact on both ends of the court, she is the nation’s clear leader in win shares (13.1) and in player efficiency rating (45.6). In more traditional stats, Boston ranks sixth in the nation in rebounds per game (12.0), 10th in blocked shots (2.66), second in double-doubles (23), 21st in offensive rebounds per game (3.8) and 29th in field goal percentage (.545). Boston has been the team’s top scorer in 18 of the Gamecocks’ 29 games, and her 27 double-figure scoring games includes six 20-point outings.
Henderson earned All-SEC First Team status for the first time in her career and has risen to national prominence with her steady leadership of the top-ranked Gamecocks on both ends of the court. Her balance of scoring and distributing has the Gamecock offense running at a high rate, especially late in the season. Henderson has scored in double figures 14 times this season, including a 23-point outing in the regular-season finale, while handing out 4.2 assists per game. Her 1.96 assist-to-turnover ratio is fourth in the SEC. Defensively, Henderson’s ball pressure at the top of the defense has helped the Gamecocks lead the nation in field goal percentage defense (.326) and rank fourth in scoring defense (51.3 ppg).
Voting for the Wooden Award will take place March 15-22, and voters take into consideration a player’s entire season of play, as well as the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The finalists for the 2022 Wooden Award presented by Wendy’s will be announced on March. 30.
No. 1/1 South Carolina is back in action today at 5 p.m., facing Ole Miss in Nashville in the semifinals of the SEC Tournament. 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.
2022 Wooden Award National Ballot
Shakira Austin, Ole Miss
Aliyah Boston, South Carolina
Cameron Brink, Stanford
Caitlin Clark, Iowa
Elissa Cunane, NC State
Destanni Henderson, South Carolina
Naz Hillmon, Michigan
Rhyne Howard, Kentucky
Ashley Joens, Iowa State
Haley Jones, Stanford
Ayoka Lee, Kansas State
Aneesah Morrow, DePaul
Khayla Pointer, LSU
Angel Reese, Maryland
NaLyssa Smith, Baylor
