Ajavon and Carson Named Naismith Top-30 Finalists
Feb 23 | Women's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Juniors Matee Ajavon (Newark, N.J.) and Essence Carson (Paterson, N.J.) have been named top-30 finalists for this year's Naismith Award, given annually to the top player in women's college basketball. Ajavon and Carson are two of five BIG EAST players named to the prestigious list.
Ajavon leads the Scarlet Knights in assists with 4.1 per game, the sixth-best mark in the conference. The guard reached the 1,000 point milestone at Syracuse, becoming just the 25th player in Rutgers history to reach the plateau. Ajavon, who missed the start of the season with injury, is averaging 9.8 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. The junior is not new to national recognition, as she was also one of 25 student-athletes named to this season's State Farm Wade Trophy Watch list, an award presented annually by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.
Ajavon scored a season-best 23 points versus Providence, the last game out. She went a season-best 72.7 percent from the floor and a perfect 3-of-3 from long range and 4-for-4 from the free throw line. In addition, she rounded out her game with six rebounds, four assists and three steals.
After averaging 9.3 points through her first 10 games, junior Essence Carson has averaged 14.8 points in the past 14 games she has appeared in. In addition, the junior has hit 15 of her 24 three-pointers in the last seven games and knocked down 18 of her total 24 triples in conference play. Overall, Carson is averaging 12.5 points and 6.4 boards per game. The talented defender has routinely shut down the opposing team's top player this season, helping RU hold 11 of its last 14 opponents to season low point production.
The Scarlet Knights close out the regular season with a pair of contests. They travel to South Bend, Ind. to face Notre Dame on Saturday, Feb. 24 for a Noon match-up on BIG EAST TV. Rutgers concludes the regular season with a Monday evening showdown with Connecticut at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN2.
