STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford senior forward Alanna Smith remains one of 30 players under consideration for the 2019 Naismith Women's College Player of the Year, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Monday.
The Atlanta Tipoff Club administers the Naismith Awards, which have become the most prestigious national honors in all of college basketball. Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, the Naismith Trophy recognizes the top Men's and Women's College Basketball Players of the Year. The 10 semifinalists will be announced March 4.
Smith remains on a laundry of watch lists in addition to the Naismith Trophy, including the Wooden Award, Wade Trophy, Katrina McClain Award and Senior CLASS Award, and has backed up that recognition with her play.
A two-time Pac-12 Player of the Week this season (Dec. 17 and Jan. 14) and the espnW and USBWA National Player of the Week from Dec. 17, Smith is shooting 52.4 percent from the field (174-of-332), 42.6 percent from behind the arc (55-of-129) and averaging a team-high 20.1 points per game to go with 7.9 rebounds.
Smith, who has double-doubles in six of her last 13 games, is one of two players in the country averaging 20.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 blocks per game this season along with Princeton's Bella Alarie. She is on track on join Elena Delle Donne as the only players 6-foot-4 and taller over the past 20 years to shoot better than 40 percent from 3-point range for an entire season. Delle Donne made 41.3 percent as a freshman at Delaware in 2009-10 (NCAA minimum of two made 3-pointers per game).
The 6-foot-4 Smith is 17th in school history in scoring (1,466) and second in blocks (203) and has made 129 career 3-pointers. She is within range of joining an elite company of players that have put together careers of 1,600 points, 150 made triples and 200 blocks. Since 1999-00, the only three to do that are Delle Donne (3,039 points; 206 3-pointers; 273 blocks), Maya Moore (3,036 points; 311 3-pointers; 204 blocks) and Breanna Stewart (2,676 points; 152 3-pointers; 414 blocks).
Smith and the No. 10 Cardinal are on the road this weekend when they play at UCLA on Friday (6 p.m.) and USC on Sunday (noon).