Crystal Dangerfield named to 2020 Nancy Lieberman Award watch list

[Carnac]

UConn senior point guard Crystal Dangerfield was one of 20 candidates named to the 2020 Nancy Lieberman Award watch list, announced Monday by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. The award, for which Dangerfield was one of five finalists last season, recognizes the top point guard in women’s NCAA Division I basketball.

Dangerfield, this season’s American Athletic Conference’s co-preseason Player of the Year and a unanimous pick to the preseason all-AAC first team, is the Huskies’ top returning scorer after averaging 13.4 points per game last year. Her 225 assists marked the second-highest total in a single season in program history (behind Sue Bird’s 231 in 2001-02), and Dangerfield ended the season as an all-conference first team selection and with NCAA Regional and American All-Tournament team honors.

[Story]

 

[eebmg]

Interesting quote. High expectations.

“I asked her at the end of the season, how many games did you have your freshman year like the Baylor game?” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said last Monday. “The answer was not enough. How many of those did you have as a sophomore? Not enough. Last year’s UCLA game, where she just took over and almost singlehandedly won the game, how many did you have? That’s what you need to bring every night. Does she need to score 25 points every night? No, but you have to have that kind of impact on the game every single night.”

 

[nwhoopfan]

Ha, the full list is, uh, interesting. Ionescu, Slocum, Dean and Gylten from the Pac 12...but no Williams from Stanford or McDonald from Arizona? Seriously? A few of the players from smaller schools I'm not familiar with. The much traveled Te'a Cooper is included.


No Aari McDonald though? Maybe this is one of those nonsensical things where they'll put her on the shooting guard list. Chennedy Carter is included here, I can't see how you would think of them as playing different positions.

 

[j66kicker]

Just give to Ionescu now and get it over with.

 

[Lorcan]

I’d say that Williams and McDonald might be looked at as more of a shooting guard than a point guard. I don’t know if Stanford will have a true point guard again this year either unless Wilson gets the start because of her defense.

While I hate to say this on a UConn board, I don’t know how you leave out Marta Sneizek who orchestrated some of Stanford’s great defeats of Muffet’s bunch a few years back.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think there is Sabrina, then a group with Crystal and a half dozen others, and then some players getting some recognition but who have no chance of winning.

 

[LoTrader]

I think there are a number of gifted names on this list. I don't think Sabrina is a lock this year.

 

[CocoHusky]

I think there are a number of gifted names on this list. I don't think Sabrina is a lock this year.

Oregon would have to struggle mightily for Sabrina not to win this award. Struggling mightily would be falling out of the top 10 and not wining the Pac 12 Championship.

 

[SCspur]

Absolutely not. Crystal Dangerfield is the PG (1) in the UCONN offense. Williams would occasionally initiate the offense. Because of her size Crystal rarely (most notable example was UCLA game) slides to the SG spot. BTW the PG is not that hard to spot in the UCONN offense just look for who Geno is talking to when he calls out the play. View attachment 47359

They're referring to Kianna Williams of Stanford not Christyn Williams of UConn.

 

[CocoHusky]

They're referring to Kianna Williams of Stanford not Christyn Williams of UConn.

 

[Ozimoto]

Watch lists are fine, but performance during the year is what will determine the award winners. Let the games begin!

 

[Lorcan]

I do agree that Kiana was the 1 at most times for Stanford, but she is a more natural 2. Hopefully, we’ll see her off the ball more this year.

 

[CocoHusky]

Watch lists are fine, but performance during the year is what will determine the award winners. Let the games begin!

True but I've never seen anyone win one of these major awards without being on the preseason watch list.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Well K. Williams and A. McDonald are on the Drysdale list released today, along w/ Minyon Moore. All 3 absolutely were PG for their team last year. I shouldn't be surprised, they have players listed at the wrong position every year. I find it irritating though.

Williams from UConn is on the Drysdale list. Conspicuously missing is Pivec from Oregon St., so they'll probably call her a small forward. Or maybe a power forward or center.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I have trouble taking some of these awards seriously when the positions are obviously wrong for several players. Sorry.