ATLANTA – LSU’s Angel Reese was named a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award on Monday, announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.
Reese has been dominant for the Tigers this year with 23 double-doubles this season, the third most in the nation. She currently has 12 straight double-doubles, her third time at LSU with a double-double streak of at least 10 games.
Reese grabs 13.1 rebounds per game, the second most in the nation. She hauls in 7.5 defensive rebounds per game which ranks 17th nationally. Reese’s size in the interior allows her to alter shots and get blocks. She has 25 blocks this year. She has also shown the ability to force turnovers, whether it’s on entry passes into the post that she can get her hands on or getting steals guarding players off the dribble on the perimeter; she has 51 steals on the season.
At the SEC Tournament, Reese was dominant despite playing on a bum right ankle. After rolling her ankle in the fourth quarter of LSU’s game against Auburn on Friday, Reese was a game time decision for Saturday’s game against Ole Miss. She ended up playing and scoring 21 points while grabbing 17 rebounds. In the SEC Tournament Championship, she had 15 points and 13 rebounds. In three games at the SEC Tournament, Reese averaged 19.7 points and 13.7 rebounds, earning a spot on the All-Tournament team.
2024 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalists
| FULL NAME | CLASS | POS | SCHOOL | CONFERENCE |
| Cameron Brink | Senior | F | Stanford | PAC-12 |
| Jordyn Cambridge | Grad Student | G | Vanderbilt | SEC |
| Kamilla Cardoso | Senior | C | South Carolina | SEC |
| Hannah Hidalgo | Freshman | G | Notre Dame | ACC |
| Taiyanna Jackson | Super Senior | C | Kansas | BIG 12 |
| Elizabeth Kitley | Grad Student | C | Virginia Tech | ACC |
| Ayoka Lee | Senior | C | Kansas State | BIG 12 |
| JJ Quinerly | Junior | G | West Virginia | BIG 12 |
| Angel Reese | Junior | F | LSU | SEC |
| Celeste Taylor | Grad Student | G | Ohio State | BIG TEN |