UConn student goalkeeper Paige Bueckers and South Carolina striker Aliyah Boston, who will try to lead his No. 1 team in the Elite Eight this weekend, were among the college basketball players named finalists for the award on Friday. John R. Wooden from 2021
Louisville senior goalkeeper Dana Evans and Baylor junior striker NaLyssa Smith, whose side teams will also compete in Sweet 16, were also named finalists for the wood, awarded annually to the top female college basketball player.
Kentucky’s junior goalie 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 savage was upset by Iowa in the second round of the NCAA Women’s Tournament.
All five players were also named to the Associated Press All-America first team earlier this month.
Bueckers leads UConn with 19.9 points per game, 6.0 assists and 2.4 steals. The No. 1 Huskies face the Hawkeyes in the regional semifinals on Saturday (13:00 ET, ABC / ESPN application). Bueckers joined Maya Moore as the only UConn players to win the Big East Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year awards in the same season.
The new favorite of the women’s NCAA tournament, according to the ESPN basketball percentage index, Baylor plays on Saturday in Michigan (15:00 ET, ABC / ESPN application) in Sweet 16. Smith, the big 12 player of the year, has an average of 18.0 points and 9.0 rebounds – team highs in both categories – for Lady Bears.
A two-time ACC player of the year, Evans has an average of 19.6 points on the team and 4.0 assists for Louisville, who play sixth in Oregon on Sunday (19:00 ET, ESPN / ESPN App). Boston, which has racked up 66 points and 35 rebounds in its last three games, leads South Carolina in its fifth-round Sweet 16 game with Missouri on Sunday (3 p.m. ET, ABC / ESPN). Boston is averaging a double-double at 14.1 points and 11.7 rebounds per game.
Howard, a two-time SEC player of the year, has 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 Wood Award will be revealed following the NCAA tournament in April.