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NCAA.com | November 29, 2017

50 named to Naismith Trophy Women's watch list

  South Carolina's A'ja Wilson is one of two 2017 award finalists on the 2018 watch list.

The Atlanta Tipoff Club revealed the 50 women's basketball players to watch in this year's pursuit of the 2018 Citizen Naismith Trophy. The watch list includes players from 32 different schools.

Below are the 50 players announced to the watch list on Wednesday:

NAME SCHOOL CLASS POSITION CONFERENCE
Kristine Anigwe California Junior C/F Pac-12
Ariel Atkins Texas Senior G Big 12
Kenisha Bell Minnesota Junior G Big Ten
Monique Billings UCLA Senior F Pac-12
Allazia Blockton Marquette Junior G Big East
Lexie Brown Duke Senior G ACC
Kalani Brown Baylor Junior C Big 12
Tyra Buss Indiana Senior G Big Ten
Jordin Canada UCLA Senior G Pac-12
Kaila Charles Maryland Sophomore G Big Ten
Napheesa Collier UConn Junior F AAC
Sophie Cunningham Missouri Junior G SEC
Crystal Dangerfield UConn Sophomore G AAC
Asia Durr Louisville Junior G ACC
Katelynn Flaherty Michigan Senior G Big Ten
Rebecca Greenwell Duke Senior G ACC
Marie Gulich Oregon State Senior C Pac-12
Megan Gustafson Iowa Junior F Big Ten
Linnae Harper Ohio State Senior G Big Ten
Ruthy Hebard Oregon Sophomore F Pac-12
Chanette Hicks Virginia Tech Junior G ACC
Myisha Hines-Allen Louisville Senior F ACC
Sabrina Ionescu Oregon Sophomore G Pac-12
Kaylee Jensen Oklahoma State Senior C Big 12
Jackie Kemph Saint Louis Senior  G Atlantic 10
Kitija Laksa USF Junior F AAC
Marina Mabrey Notre Dame Junior G ACC
Tynice Martin West Virginia Junior  G Big 12
Stephanie Mavunga Ohio State Senior F Big Ten
Brooke McCarty Texas Senior G Big 12
Teaira McCowan Mississippi State Senior  C SEC
Brittany McPhee Stanford Senior G Pac-12
Kelsey Mitchell Ohio State Senior  G Big Ten
Teana Muldrow West Virginia Senior  F Big 12
Jaime Nared Tennessee Senior G SEC
Kia Nurse UConn Senior G AAC
Arike Ogunbowale Notre Dame Junior G ACC
Caliya Robinson Georgia Junior F SEC
Mercedes Russell Tennessee Senior C SEC
Katie Lou Samuelson UConn Junior G/F AAC
Jessica Shepard Notre Dame Junior F ACC
Azura Stevens UConn Junior F AAC
Tianna Tarter ETSU Senior G SoCon
Shakayla Thomas Florida State Senior F ACC
Victoria Vivians Mississippi State Senior G SEC
Morgan Williams Mississippi State Senior G SEC
Danni Williams  Texas A&M Junior G SEC
Gabby Williams UConn Senior F AAC
A'ja Wilson South Carolina Senior F SEC
Jackie Young Notre Dame Sophomore G ACC

Two 2017 Naismith Trophy finalists return to the 2018 watch list in A'ja Wilson (South Carolina) and Katie Lou Samuelson (UConn). Both finished behind former Washington star Kelsey Plum in the final voting.

No. 1 UConn leads the watch list with six representatives. Notre Dame (four), Mississippi State (three) and Ohio State (three) boast the next most players.

The 2018 Women's Naismith Trophy watch list will be shortened throughout the season until one of three finalists is announced as the winner in the spring.

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