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Aliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark Headline 15 Finalists for 2023 Women's Wooden Award

Paul Kasabian

South Carolina forward Aliyah Boston and Iowa guard Caitlin Clark highlight the list of the 15 women's finalists for this year's Wooden Award.

Adam Zagoria of the New York Times, Forbes and NJ.com relayed all the candidates.

Boston is the reigning Wooden Award winner. The senior is averaging 13.3 points on 57.3 percent shooting, 9.7 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 25.5 minutes per game. She's led South Carolina to a perfect 30-0 record and the No. 1 spot in the country thus far.

Clark can certainly make a case for the award as well. The junior is posting 27.1 points on 47.0 percent shooting (37.5 percent from three-point range), 8.0 assists, 7.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. The 24-6 Hawkeyes are seventh in the latest Associated Press poll.

Stanford, the 2021 national champion, is the only team with two finalists. The No. 6-ranked team in the nation features Cameron Brink and Haley Jones. Brink has 14.9 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.4 blocks in just 24.5 minutes per game. Jones is second on the team in scoring (13.4 PPG), second in rebounding (9.1 RPG) and first in assists (4.1 APG).

No. 2 Indiana, which won its first-ever solo Big Ten regular-season title, is represented by senior forward Mackenzie Holmes (22.7 PPG on 69.3 percent shooting, 7.3 RPG, 1.9 BPG). She's led Indiana to a 27-2 mark (16-2 Big Ten).

The nation's top transfer this year, Alissa Pili of No. 3 Utah, also made the cut. She's flourished for Utah after heading to Salt Lake City from USC, averaging 20.3 points and 5.4 rebounds.

Clark and Holmes aren't the only Big Ten representatives, as Diamond Miller of Maryland is also there. The New Jersey native has dropped 19.7 points and 6.5 boards per game for a No. 5 Maryland squad that tied for second with Iowa in the Big Ten this year.

LSU, the No. 4-ranked team, is the only Top 10 squad without a Wooden Award finalist.

The winner will be announced on April 7.

Make your picks: Play the NCAA March Madness Women's Bracket Challenge.

   

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