On Tuesday morning, LSU Women’s Basketball standout Aneesah Morrow was honored as a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award. This recognition adds to her impressive senior season accolades, which include selections to the All-SEC First Team and All-SEC Defensive Team, as well as being a finalist for the Katrina McClain Award.
Offensively, Morrow has been a significant asset for the Tigers, averaging 18.5 points per game with an impressive near-50% shooting accuracy from the field. However, her defensive prowess has been equally, if not more, impactful. Despite being slightly undersized for a post player, Morrow utilizes her agility to intercept passing lanes and disrupt entry passes, leading to an average of 2.6 steals per game this season. While her block statistics have decreased this year, she remains a formidable presence in the paint, consistently ranking fourth nationally in defensive rebounds per game with an average of 8.5.
Morrow’s defensive excellence has been evident since her collegiate debut at DePaul University four years ago. Her transition to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) was driven by a desire to showcase her skills at the highest level of women’s college basketball—a challenge she has embraced and excelled in.
The complete list of Naismith Defensive Player of the Year semifinalists includes:
Lauren Betts, UCLA
Talaysia Cooper, Tennessee
Rori Harmon, Texas
Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
Aneesah Morrow, LSU
Sedona Prince, TCU
JJ Quinerly, West Virginia
Taylor Thierry, Ohio State
Makayla Timpson, Florida State
JuJu Watkins, USC
This acknowledgment underscores Morrow’s dedication and significant impact on both ends of the court throughout her collegiate career.
