UConn’s first-year point guard Paige Bueckers and South Carolina’s second-year striker Aliyah Boston, who will attempt to lead their teams with first place in the Elite Eight this weekend, were among the finalized college basketball players. Friday for the John R. Wooden 2021 Award.
Louisville senior guard Dana Evans and Baylor junior striker NaLyssa Smith, whose side teams will also compete in Sweet 16, were also named finalists for Wooden, awarded annually to the best female college basketball player.
Kentucky junior guard Rhyne Howard completed the finalists, who were also nominated for the 2021 John R. Wooden award from the Wendy’s All American Team. Howard’s fourth Wildcats were defeated by Iowa in the second round of the NCAA women’s tournament.
All five players were also named to The Associated Press All-America’s first team earlier this month.
Bueckers leads UConn with 19.9 points per game, 6.0 assists and 2.4 steals. The Huskies ranked first will face the Hawkeyes in the regional semifinals on Saturday (1 pm ET, ABC / ESPN App). Bueckers joined Maya Moore as the only UConn players to win Big East Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors in the same season.
The new female favorite of the NCAA tournament according to the ESPN Basketball Percentage Index, Baylor plays sixth in Michigan on Saturday (3 pm ET, ABC / ESPN App) at Sweet 16. Smith, the biggest player of the year , has an average of 18.0 points and 9.0 rebounds – team highlights in both categories – for Lady Bears.
Twice ACC Player of the Year, Evans averages 19.6 points and 4.0 assists for Louisville, who plays Oregon in the sixth division on Sunday (19:00 Eastern Time, ESPN / ESPN App). Boston, who has accumulated 66 points and 35 rebounds in his last three games, leads South Carolina in its Sweet 16 matchup with fifth place in Missouri State on Sunday (3 pm ET, ABC / ESPN App). Boston averages a double-double with 14.1 points and 11.7 rebounds per game.
Howard, twice the SEC’s Player of the Year, averaged 20.7 points and 7.3 rebounds this season.
The wooden award honoring the best female college basketball player was established in 2004. Sabrina Ionescu, from Oregon, won the award in 2018-19 and 2019-20. The winner of the 2021 Madeira Award will be revealed after the NCAA tournament in April.