NCAA Division I WBB - Scoring Big on the Big Stage
There are 122 area athletes who compete in NCAA DI WBB. Fourteen of them lead their team in scoring. And that is just the beginning of their accomplishments in this young season.
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Today we concentrate our attention on the local athletes who compete in NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball. If you missed our review of DI MBB, you will find it here.
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Today’s Content
Today we look at all of the Missouri and Kansas athletes who compete in NCAA DI WBB. At the end you will find an attached spreadsheet with 25 year-to-date statistics of the 122 athletes. You will see who leads their team in scoring and 24 other statistics. You will also see who these athletes are, their position, their class, their high school, their college, and the collegiate conference in which they compete. There are also “Top Fives” for nine statistics that highlight 49 superlative performances.
As noted, there are 49 places in the nine Top Fives. It is easily seen that there are a lot of graduate students listed. There have always been a few students who come back for their fourth year of competition after completing their undergraduate degree. A few. But, there are a lot who do that now because the NCAA granted a “free” year to those affected during the 2019-20 season by Covid restrictions. It makes sense that those athletes will find themselves on these lists. They are a year older, a year more experienced, a year stronger. They are the most veteran players. Thirteen of the 49 listed are graduate students.
But, what jumps out is the large number of freshmen who are on these lists. Twelve of the 49. These are the athletes who were in high school uniforms less than a year ago. There was a time when freshmen were told to sit at the end of the bench, fetch balls, listen, listen a lot, work hard, and wait for your time to play. But, no more. The cream bubbles to the top. Quickly.
Naudia Evans (Waynesville/Grand Canyon Univ.) rarely is taken off the court. That is true even in the early part of the schedule where coaches traditionally play lots of players to determine relative talents and combinations. That shows how valuable she is to her team. And then there is one of the freshman I mentioned. Addy Brown (Derby/Iowa State Univ.) rarely comes out of the game on the big stage of the Big 12.
Average Minutes Per Game (Min. of 8 Games)
34.7 - Naudia Evans - Center - Junior - Waynesville - Grand Canyon University - Western Athletic Conference
34.6 - Kade Hackerott - Guard - Junior - Goddard - Texas-Rio Grande Valley - Western Athletic Conference
33.8 - Addy Brown - Forward - Freshman - Derby - Iowa State University - Big 12 Conference
33.0 - Kiley Bess - Guard - Senior - Poplar Bluff - Indiana State University - Missouri Valley Conference
32.3 - Grace Slaughter - Guard - Freshman - Grain Valley - Univ. of Missouri - Southeastern Conference
This group of 122 basketball players have connected on almost 43% of their shots, and 32 % from three point range. Only one makes over half of her three point shots. KK Rodriguez (Webster Groves/Southern Ill-Edwardsville) has made 20 of 39. Occupying three of the top five spots are freshmen, Norah Clarke (Nixa/Tennessee-Martin), S’Mya Nichols (Shawnee Mission West/Univ. of Kansas), and Brook Coffey (Incarnate Word Academy/ Illinois State Univ.).
Three Point Percentage (Min. 15 Attempts)
.513 (20 of 39) - KK Rodriguez - Guard - Graduate Student - Webster Groves - Southern Illinois Univ.-Edwardsville - Ohio Valley Conference
.462 (12 of 26) - Norah Clarke - Forward - Freshman - Nixa - Univ. of Tennessee-Martin - Ohio Valley Conference
.450 (9 of 20) - DesiRay Kernal - Forward - Graduate Student - Newton - Univ. of North Texas - American Athletic Conference
.444 (12 of 27) - S’Mya Nichols - Guard - Freshman - Shawnee Mission West - Univ.. of Kansas - Big 12 Conference
.438 (7 of 16) - Brooke Coffey - Guard - Freshman - Incarnate Word Academy = Illinois State University - Missouri Valley Conference
College basketball players have consistently connected on 68% of their free throws over the years. That is true for both the men and women. Some live far above that average. Hayley Frank (Strafford/Univ. of Missouri) is money almost 90% of the time.
Free Throw Percentage (Min. of 25 Attempts)
.891 (41 of 46) - Hayley Frank - Forward - Graduate Student - Strafford - Univ. of Missouri - Southeastern Conference
.857 (60 of 70) - KK Rodriguez - Guard - Graduate Student - Webster Groves - Southern Illinois Univ.-Edwardsville - Ohio Valley Conference
.846 (22 of 26) - Eylia Love - Guard - Senior - Olathe North - Univ. of Louisville - Atlantic Coast Conference
.833 (45 of 54) - Jaliyah Green - Guard - Junior - Holt - Southeast Missouri State - Ohio Valley Conference
.819 (68 of 83) - DesiRay Kernal - Forward - Graduate Student - Newton - Univ. of North Texas - American Athletic Conference
You gotta score points to win. KK Rodriguez (Webster Groves/Southern Ill.-Edwardsville) scores a lot. She lays in 22 pts per game, easily the most of this group of shooters. As a freshman, Raegan McCowan (Lebanon/Western Illinois Univ.) isn’t shy as she scores her 17 points per game.
Points Per Game (Min. of 8 Games)
22.0 - KK Rodriguez - Guard - Graduate Student - Webster Groves - Southern Illinois Univ.-Edwardsville - Ohio Valley Conference
17.7 - DesiRay Kernal - Forward - Graduate Student - Newton - Univ. of North Texas - American Athletic Conference
17.6 - Laniah Randle - Guard - Junior - Wichita Heights - Southern Illinois University - Missouri Valley Conference
17.0 - Raegan McCowan - Guard - Freshman - Lebanon - Western Illinois University - Ohio Valley Conference
17.0 - Hayley Frank - Forward - Graduate Student - Univ. of Missouri - Southeastern conference
Not all shots go in. That creates the opportunity to maintain or take possession. Laniah Randle (Wichita Heights/Southern Illinois) does that over nine times a game. As noted above, Addy Brown (Derby/Iowa State) spends a lot of her freshman time on the court. While she does so, she pulls down 8.7 rebounds.
Rebounds Per Game (Min. of 8 Games)
9.1 - Laniah Randle - Guard - Junior - Wichita Heights - Southern Illinois University - Missouri Valley Conference
9.0 - DesiRay Kernal - Forward - Graduate Student - Newton - Univ. of North Texas - American Athletic Conference
8.7 - Addy Brown - Forward - Freshman - Derby - Iowa State University - Big 12 Conference
8.4 - Kade Hackerott - Guard - Junior - Goddard - Texas-Rio Grande Valley - Western Athletic Conference
7.8 - Alecia Westbrook - Forward - Graduate Student - Park Hill South - Texas A&M-Corpus Christi - Southland Conference
Kansas State has an unusually high 67% assist/field goal ratio. That is the epitome of teamwork. A big reason for that team performance is Taryn Sides (Phillipsburg/Kansas State). Taryn and another freshman Addy Brown (Derby/Iowa State) lead our area athletes with 57 assists each. Taryn produces her numbers while only playing 18 minutes per game, any of which she has yet to start. Adding to that 67% assist/field goal ratio at Kansas State is Serena Sundell (Maryville/Kansas State) who has 56 assists so far this season.
Total Assists
57 - Taryn Sides - Guard - Freshman - Phillipsburg - Kansas State University - Big 12 Conference
57 - Addy Brown - Forward - Freshman - Derby - Iowa State University - Big 12 Conference
56 - Serena Sundell - Guard - Junior - Maryville - Kansas State University - Big 12 Conference
41 - Addi Brownfield - Guard - Sophomore - Boonville - Western Illinois University - Ohio Valley Conference
39 - Lisa Thomas - Guard - Junior - Center - Univ. of Missouri-Kansas City - Summit League
Have you ever had your shot blocked? I have. It can be quite intimidating. The crowd reacts. That feeling can linger for a number of possessions. A blocked shot does more than eliminate that one attempt to score. Aliyah Green (Raymore-Peculiar/Univ. of Memphis) has already blocked 15 shot attempts this year, more than anyone else. Natalie Potts (Incarnate Word Academy/Univ. of Nebraska) may be a freshman, but the opponent had better be thinking about adjusting her shot. Natalie has ten block already in her young career.
Total Blocked Shots
15 - Aliyah Green - Forward - Junior - Raymore-Peculiar - Univ. of Memphis - American Athletic Conference
14 - KK Brodie - Center - Sophomore - Rock Bridge - Pepperdine University - West Coast Conference
13 - Halle Smith - Forward - Junior - Belle - Southern Illinois Univ.-Edwardsville - Ohio Valley Conference
11 - Kennedy Brown - Center - Senior - Derby - Duke University - Atlantic Coast Conference
10 - Natalie Potts - Forward - Freshman - Incarnate Word Academy - University of Nebraska - Big Ten Conference
10 - Laniah Randle - Guard - Junior - Wichita Heights - Southern Illinois University - Missouri Valley Conference
10 - Charlotte O’Keefe - Forward - Sophomore - St. Thomas Aquinas - Texas-Rio Grande Valley - Western Athletic Conference
10 - Kennedy Taylor - Forward - Junior - Shawnee Mission Northwest - Missouri State University - Missouri Valley Conference
Stealing the show, first for her Barstow Knights, and now for her Kansas State Wildcats, is Jaelyn Glenn (Barstow/Kansas State) who leads this group with 26 steals. She has also led her team each of her three collegiate years. As a junior, Jaelyn is only 30 steals away from the Top Ten in school program history.
Total Steals
26 - Jaelyn Glenn - Guard - Junior - Barstow - Kansas State University - Big 12 Conference
24 - DesiRay Kernal - Forward - Graduate Student - Newton - Univ. of North Texas - American Athletic Conference
24 - Mar-shaun - Guard - Junior - Vashon - Auburn University -Southeastern Conference
22 - Tre’Zure Jobe - Guard - Senior-RS - Wichita South - Wichita State University - American Athletic Conference
21 - Addi Brownfield - Guard - Sophomore - Boonville - Western Illinois University - Ohio Valley Conference
21 - Blythe Pearson - Guard - Graduate Student - St. Thomas Aquinas - Lipscomb University - Atlantic Sun Conference
It was noted above how proficient Taryn Sides (Phillipsburg/Kansas State) is at creating scoring opportunities for her teammates. She does so with low risk of committing a turnover. Not only is her 5.2 assist/turnover the best of this large group, it is tops among DI freshmen nationwide.
Assists to Turnovers Ratio (Min. of 25 Assists)
5.2 - Taryn Sides - Guard - Freshman - Phillipsburg - Kansas State University - Big !2 Conference
2.7 - Serena Sundell -Guard - Junior - Maryville - Kansas State University - Big 12 Conference
2.0 - Alecia Westbrook - Forward - Graduate Student - Park Hill South - Texas A&M-Corpus Christi - Southland Conference
1.8 - Lacy Stokes - Guard - Junior - Mount Vernon - Missouri State University - Missouri Valley Conference
1.7 - Addy Brown - Forward - Freshman - Derby - Iowa State University - Big 12 Conference
The attached spreadsheet contains 25 statistics for each of the 122 athletes from Missouri and Kansas competing in NCAA Division I WBB. They are listed by average points per game and are as of 12/17/2023.
Coming soon are the Fall Sport postseason reviews along with the much more of the Men’s and Women’s Basketball seasons. Up next for basketball will be Men’s Division II Basketball. Get your free subscription now!
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