Cardoso, Paopao Named to Wooden Award Watch List
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina women’s basketball seniors Kamilla Cardoso and Te-Hina Paopao earned spots on the John R. Wooden Award presented by Principal Women’s Midseason Top 25 Watch List, the organization announced on ESPN2 today.
Cardoso is the top scorer and rebounder on the No. 1 team in the country, averaging a double-double at 13.6 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. She ranks 17th in the nation with eight double-doubles and comes in 16th in rebounds per game and is 21st in field goal percentage, shooting 60.3 percent from the field. Defensively, her 2.9 blocks per game are eighth in the nation. Early in SEC action, Cardoso has grabbed 14.5 rebounds per league game. She has led the team in scoring in five games and been its top rebounder nine times through 14 games.
Paopao has impacted the Gamecock offense in every way, ranking second in the nation in 3-point percentage at 55.2 percent, and ranking ninth in the SEC with 3.9 assists per game. Her 12.4 points per game are second on the team, and that number climbs to a team-best 14.3 points per game against ranked opponents. In SEC action, she leads the Gamecocks with 4.5 assists per game to go with her 14.5 points per league game
The players announced on today’s list are considered strong candidates for the 2024 John R. Wooden Award Women’s Player of the Year presented by Principal. Players not chosen to the preseason or midseason list are still eligible for the Wooden Award National Ballot. The National Ballot consists of 15 top players who have proven to their universities that they meet or exceed the qualifications of the Wooden Award. Voters will rank in order 10 of those 15 players when voting opens prior to the NCAA Tournament and will allow voters to take into consideration performance during the early round games. The Wooden Award All-American Team will be announced the week of the NCAA Elite Eight round. The winner of the 2024 John R. Wooden Award will be presented in Los Angeles in April.
Continue to check GamecocksOnline.com and the team’s social media accounts (@GamecockWBB) for the most up-to-date information on South Carolina women’s basketball.
2024 Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 Watch List
Georgia Amoore, Virginia Tech
Lauren Betts, UCLA
Cameron Brink, Stanford
Paige Bueckers, UConn
Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina
Caitlin Clark, Iowa
Aaliyah Edwards, UConn
Rori Harmon, Texas
Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
Mackenzie Holmes, Indiana
Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech
Ta’Niya Latson, Florida State
Ayoka Lee, Kansas State
Cotie McMahon, Ohio State
Aneesah Morrow, LSU
Te-Hina Paopao, South Carolina
Alissa Pili, Utah
Sedona Prince, TCU
Angel Reese, LSU
Kiki Rice, UCLA
Saniya Rivers, NC State
Jacy Sheldon, Ohio State
Jaylyn Sherrod, Colorado
JuJu Watkins, Southern Cal
Mikaylah Williams, LSU
