Irvin Named Midseason Naismith Trophy Candidate
2/21/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 21, 2005
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Senior Sandora Irvin from the TCU women's basketball team is one of 30 midseason finalists for the 2005 Naismith Trophy, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Monday. The top 30 list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club's Board of Selectors, comprised of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country. The board based its criteria on player performances this season. The list was narrowed down from the preseason group of 50 candidates who were unveiled at the beginning of the season.Conference USA's two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Irvin currently ranks 10th in the country in points, first in rebounds and second in blocks per game. She has posted 17 double-doubles on the season in 27 games and is currently averaging 20 points and 12.2 rebounds. Additionally, Irvin averages 4.7 blocks and 2.4 steals.
Earlier in the year, Irvin broke the NCAA single-game record for blocked shots with 16 versus UAB Jan. 16. The old record of 15 was held by Amy Lundquist from Loyola Marymount. Irvin also had the first triple-double in school history against UAB by adding 20 points and 18 rebounds.
The next record Irvin broke was the NCAA's career record for blocked shots of 428, doing so versus Memphis Feb. 5. She needed just three going into the game and finished with eight. Her current total stands at 457 with two regular-season contests remaining.
Irvin was named the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) National Player of the Month for her December performance earlier in January. Irvin averaged 22.5 points, 13 rebounds, 3.6 blocks and 2.8 steals in TCU's eight games during the month. She tallied a career-high 32 points versus Oklahoma Dec. 9 in an 81-65 victory. Irvin scored at least 20 points in six of the eight contests and was in double digits in the rebounds category in all but two games as well.
Irvin has received numerous honors this season, being named to the Miami Jam and Rainbow Wahine Classic All-Tournament Teams in November. She was also tabbed the MVP for the Wahine Classic after TCU upset then-No. 3 Georgia and then-No. 13/14 Michigan State to win the title. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native is also one of three players in C-USA history to be named Player of the Week four times in one season.
Four finalists for the Naismith Trophy will be announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club's Board of Selectors in March.
