Women's Hoop Report XXXVII: National Player of the Year Finalist List by Winners Only

Pictured: Chelsey, Anastacia, Esmery, Maddy, Natasha, Naz, Michaela, Akila, Rickea, Aliyah, Unique, CeCe, Dana, Kysre and Chasity

Finalists for Player of the Year

Aliyah Boston - South Carolina - Forward - Sophomore

At 6-5, Aliyah Boston is a powerful force for for the 12-1 South Carolina Gamecocks. She had a triple-double on Jan. 21 with 16 points, 11 rebounds and 10 blocks.

Her shooting percentage dipped from 61 percent last year to 49 percent this season but her rebounding, scoring and block averages are up. She is averaging 14.8 points, 11.3 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game this season.

Dana Evans - Louisville - Guard - Senior

Louisville has yet to be beaten and the Cardinals 5-6 guard from Gary, Indiana is leading the way. At 15-0, Evans' squad is ranked number one in the nation. She is averaging a career best 19.9 points.

In two games against Tennessee-Martin she scored 26 and 29 points respectively which are her two highest scoring totals of the season. She has had 11 games with at least 20 points this season. In her most recent five games Evans has had 26 assists and only eight turnovers. Her shooting percentage of .463 is the best of her career.

Dyaisha Fair - Buffalo - Guard - Sophomore

The 5-5 Rochester native is a scoring giant. Dyaisha Fair has had just two games this season with less than 20 points.

She's scored 30 ore more three times this season. On Dec. 13, Fair posted a triple-double in a win over Akron. She had 28 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Fair had a season high 36 points in a win over Bowling Green. Her average of 24.6 points per game is tied for sixth in the country.

Kysre Gondrezick - West Virginia - Senior - Guard

The 5-9 guard with a quick trigger and the ability to distribute has West Virginia off to a 12-2 start. Kysre Gondrezick is averaging career bests 20.8 points and 4.5 assists per game. In her last three games she has had 15 assists versus five turnovers as well as five steals. She has scored at least 20 points nine times this season.

Gondrezick scored a season high 27 points in an overtime win against Tennessee. She had 24 points and eight assists with no turnovers in a victory against Ohio.

Anastacia Hayes - Middle Tennessee State - Senior - Guard

A hometown product of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Anastacia Hayes is second in the nation at 27.1 points per game. She is also contributing with 5.4 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.5 steals per game. On January she scored 20 points in a win against Western Kentucky and that was the lowest total of points that she has scored all season.

Hayes was at her best Dec. 20 and Jan. 4 where in back-to-back games she scored 35 and 34 points respectively, while making a combined 26-of-48 shots in wins over Lipscomb and Florida Atlantic.

Naz Hillmon - Michigan - Forward - Junior

If Naz Hillmon declared herself eligible for the WNBA Draft, there is no way she wouldn't go number one. Her stock is at an all-time high. On Jan. 21, she scored a school record 50 points with 16 rebounds in a loss to Ohio State.

Her average of 26.3 points per game is third best in the nation. She is averaging 12.3 rebounds per contest which is tied for fifth best in the country. Oh and let's not forget her shooting percentage of .636 which is tied for fourth in the NCAA.

Rickea Jackson - Mississippi State - Forward - Sophomore

A native of Detroit, Rickea Jackson has had some big moments so far in 2020-21. The long forward hit 30 points going six-for-10 from three-point land in a win over Troy State. She had a 23-point effort against Kentucky on Jan. 3.

She's scored at least 11 points in all but two games. Jackson is currently averaging a team leading 15.8 points per game, just up from her average of 14.5 last season.

CeCe Hooks - Ohio - Guard - Senior

Just last night CeCe Hooks put up 29 points and pulled down 11 rebounds in a close loss to Eastern Michigan. Prior to that her team won three straight games. She scored 38 points at Western Michigan, Jan. 23, 28 points against Buffalo, Jan. 20 and 26 at Central Michigan, Jan. 16.

Hooks is averaging 26.1 points which is fourth in the nation.

Natasha Mack - Oklahoma State - Forward - Senior

Oklahoma State is holding its own this season at 11-5, and Natasha Mack is one of the brightest frontcourt stars in the nation.

From Dec. 22 to Jan. 16 she recorded six straight double-doubles. Her best offensive output was a 34-point game where she shot 16-of-23. She also had 13 rebounds. Mack whose rebounding high is 19 this season is averaging 18.9 points and 11.7 rebounds per game.

Esmery Martinez - West Virginia - Forward - Sophomore

This 6-2 forward is one of college basketball's most surprising key players. Esmery Martinez is fourth in the nation in rebounding at 12.5 boards per game.

She's had two games with more than 20 rebounds this season. From Dec. 18 - Jan. 13, she scored no less than 16 points and had at least 10 rebounds in every game. Martinez is second on her team with a scoring average of 13.7 points per game.

Michaela Onyenwere - UCLA - Forward - Senior

The 6-0 forward is leading her team with an average of 9.2 rebounds per contest. Michaela Onyenwere is second on UCLA with a scoring average of 18 points per game.

Onyenwere led UCLA to a big win over Oregon with 33 points and 10 rebounds. It was one of her five double-doubles this season. She grabbed a season best 16 rebounds against Arizona.

Chasity Patterson - Kentucky - Guard - Senior

Patterson is proving to be the best defender in the backcourt in all of the country. She is leading the nation with an average of four steals per game. Her best defensive performance of the season was when she stole the ball 10 times in a 98-37 win over Wofford.

From Dec. 13-19 she had 25 steals in a three-game stretch. Patterson is having the finest season in her career topping all career averages with 13.1 points, 3.6 assists and a shooting percentage of .478.

Chelsey Perry - UT Martin - Forward - Senior

Last season Chelsey Perry averaged 23.7 points per game, this year she is leading the country with an average of 28 points. From Jan. 7-16 she scored 32 points in a win at Tennessee State, 32 points again in a win over Austin Peay and 36 points in another win over Murray State.

Perry has not scored under 22 points the entire season. She's had six double-doubles as she is averaging 8.6 rebounds per contest.

Maddy Siegrist - Villanova - Forward - Sophomore

Maddy Siegrist started the season with five straight double-doubles. She had her best game of the year against Creighton, scoring 34 points with 19 rebounds in a 73-68 win on Dec. 19.

Siegrist has scored over 30 points three times this season. She is currently averaging 23.6 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game.

Akila Smith - Longwood - Forward - Junior

There are players at bigger school who are getting more shine, but Akila Smith is one of the most productive players in the country.

On Jan. 15, she had a triple-double with 14 points, 13 rebounds and 11 blocks. Smith has scored 10 points or more in every game but one this season and has had no less than seven rebounds in a game. With 10 double-doubles, Smith is averaging 14.5 points and 11.3 rebounds per game.

Unique Thompson - Auburn - Forward - Senior

If there is a such thing as a rebounding machine, it is this 6-3 power forward. Unique Thompson is averaging 17.8 points and 14.2 rebounds per game. She has recorded 10 straight double-doubles including a 20-point, 23-rebound effort against Belmont. She also had a 26-point, 23-rebound game against Houston.

She is currently has the number one rebounding average in the nation.