Defensive Player of the Year Finalist
Apr 01 | Women's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Senior guard Syessence Davis (Neptune, N.J.) is one of six finalists for Defensive Player of the Year by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), it was announced on Wednesday.
"These finalists played an incredibly valuable role for their respective teams on the defensive end of the floor this season. Defense is about effort, intensity, determination, and teamwork. Each of these remarkable student-athletes has embodied these characteristics at the highest level," said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. "They have all been consistent defensive forces for their respective teams, and have caused nightmares for opposing coaches and players. We celebrate each finalist and appreciate their contributions to their team as well as to the game."
The winner will be announced during the Fifth Annual WBCA Awards Show, which will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, April 6, in Tampa Bay, Fla. This event is part of the WBCA National Convention and is held in conjunction with the NCAA® Women's Final Four®.
A top 15 finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Award, given to the nation's top point guard, Davis was a menace to the opposition's offense. She finished the 2014-15 campaign fourth nationally in steals and as the Big Ten's leader in the category averaging 3.3 per game.
Davis also became Rutgers' all-time steals leader -- men or women -- with 294 career thefts. Her 105 steals this season put her name third on the single-season leaders list. Davis also became the only Scarlet Knight to record back-to-back seasons with 100 or more steals. The senior Scarlet Knight registered nine games with five or more steals and 18 games with three of more thefts.
Among Davis' best performances this season was on Jan. 10 at Penn State, where she tied the single-game school record with 10 steals against the Lady Lions and helped the Scarlet Knights to 22 total thefts, one shy of tying the RU single-game record. An Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection by the media, Davis ranked fourth in the country and led the Big Ten in assist/turnover radio (3.18). She dished the ball out 124 times with only 39 turnovers and committed two or fewer turnovers in 27 of her 32 appearances this season.
Davis finished her career ninth on RU's all-time assist leaders list with 397 helpers. She recorded 11 games with five or more assists this season.
Additionally, Davis narrowly missed out on a triple-double as she registered 12 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists against Iona on Dec. 20. It was Davis' first career double-double and would have been the first RU triple-double since 2011.
Davis was the third Scarlet Knight to earn conference defensive player of the year honors. Current assistant coach Chelsea Newton was the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year in 2005, while Essence Carson was the BIG EAST's top defensive player in 2006, 2007, and 2008.
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