Boston, Henderson Finalists for National Awards
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina junior forward Aliyah Boston and senior Destanni Henderson were named finalists for a pair of national awards today. Boston is one of four finalists for 2022 Naismith Women’s Defensive Player of the Year, her second time in as many seasons as a finalist. Henderson is one of four finalists for The Dawn Staley Award.
Boston continues to be at the forefront of National Player of the Year conversations as she has put together an historic season, marching up the Gamecock record books and setting a new SEC record for consecutive double-doubles. The SEC coaches named her the league Player of the Year for the first time in her career and the conference Defensive Player of the Year for the third time in as many seasons. Boston’s effort on the defensive end goes beyond that stats, although her 2.65 blocks per game (10th in the nation), 8.2 defensive rebounds per game (seventh in the nation) and team-leading 1.3 steals per game certainly back up the title as well. Her communication and ability to defend beyond the paint have helped the Gamecocks lead the nation in opponent field goal percentage (.330) and rank fourth in scoring defense (51.7 ppg).
A First-Team All-SEC selection, Henderson has risen to national prominence this season after steady improvement over the course of her four-year career. In addition to her 11.3 points per game, she is among the SEC leaders in assists per game (4.3) and is fourth in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.00). She has scored in double figures 15 times in her 28 games this season, and handed out five or more assists 14 times. Henderson is also the team’s most consistent 3-point shooter, hitting 40.6 percent from beyond the arc this season.
No. 1/1 South Carolina enters this week’s NCAA Tournament as the No. 1 overall seed and the top seed in the Greensboro Region. The Gamecocks are hosting games the opening weekend of the tournament, playing the winner of the First Four game between Howard and Incarnate Word on Fri., Mar. 18, at 2 p.m. at Colonial Life Arena.
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 Naismith Women’s Defensive Player of the Year Finalists
Boston continues to be at the forefront of National Player of the Year conversations as she has put together an historic season, marching up the Gamecock record books and setting a new SEC record for consecutive double-doubles. The SEC coaches named her the league Player of the Year for the first time in her career and the conference Defensive Player of the Year for the third time in as many seasons. Boston’s effort on the defensive end goes beyond that stats, although her 2.65 blocks per game (10th in the nation), 8.2 defensive rebounds per game (seventh in the nation) and team-leading 1.3 steals per game certainly back up the title as well. Her communication and ability to defend beyond the paint have helped the Gamecocks lead the nation in opponent field goal percentage (.330) and rank fourth in scoring defense (51.7 ppg).
A First-Team All-SEC selection, Henderson has risen to national prominence this season after steady improvement over the course of her four-year career. In addition to her 11.3 points per game, she is among the SEC leaders in assists per game (4.3) and is fourth in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.00). She has scored in double figures 15 times in her 28 games this season, and handed out five or more assists 14 times. Henderson is also the team’s most consistent 3-point shooter, hitting 40.6 percent from beyond the arc this season.
No. 1/1 South Carolina enters this week’s NCAA Tournament as the No. 1 overall seed and the top seed in the Greensboro Region. The Gamecocks are hosting games the opening weekend of the tournament, playing the winner of the First Four game between Howard and Incarnate Word on Fri., Mar. 18, at 2 p.m. at Colonial Life Arena.
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 Naismith Women’s Defensive Player of the Year Finalists
Aliyah Boston, South Carolina
Veronica Burton, Northwestern
Cameron Brink, Stanford
Lorela Cubaj, Georgia Tech
2022 The Dawn Staley Award Finalists
Veronica Burton, Northwestern
Caitlin Clark Iowa
Destanni Henderson, South Carolina
Rhyne Howard, Kentucky
