BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Senior All-American candidate Chastity Gooch has been named to the Naismith Trophy Watch List, released on Wednesday by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. The Naismith Women's Trophy presented by AT&T is the most prestigious national award presented annually to the women's college basketball player of the year.
WATCH LIST: http://www.naismithtrophy.com/2014-15-watch-list/naismith-trophy-womens-50-watch-list/
Gooch has enjoyed a strong start to her 2014-15 campaign, averaging 17.1 points per game and 8.0 rebounds per contest. Shooting 55.2 percent from the field and 78.4 percent from the free throw line, Gooch has already been named the Conference USA Player of the Week twice this season.
Gooch has continued to show that she is at her best against elite competition this season. Gooch posted 19.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per contest during the Preseason WNIT run by the Lady Toppers, converting on nearly 52 percent of her shots. Her most impressive performance came against Colorado, where she led the Lady Toppers with 30 points. She also piled up 10 steals, seven assists and six blocks during the tournament. The Lady Toppers advanced to the WNIT finals by beating Central Arkansas (93-57), Colorado (79-78 in overtime) and Albany (63-54).
Gooch was named to the All-Tournament team at the WNIT and was later named the Most Valuable Player at the Hofstra Thanksgiving Tournament after posting wins over RPI top 30 foe Tulane and Hofstra. Gooch also posted 20 points and 10 rebounds in a 40 minute effort at Louisville.
Gooch averaged 18.4 points and 9.0 rebounds per contest for WKU last season, leading the team to the Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship and WKU's 17th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. She enjoyed one of the most productive seasons in WKU history, placing 10th on WKU's single-season scoring record book and moving into the top 20 in career scoring and top 10 in both rebounds and blocks at WKU. Gooch, a two-time winner of the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year award, is the leading active career point scorer in Conference USA and was one of just four active players in the league with 1,000 career points or more entering the 2014-15 season.
Founded during the 1956-57 season, the Atlanta Tipoff Club, an Atlanta Sports Council property, is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club administers the Naismith Awards, which have become the most prestigious national honors in all of college basketball. Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, the Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T recognizes the top Men's and Women's College Basketball Players of the Year. Other Naismith Awards are presented to the Men's and Women's College Basketball Coaches of the Year, Boy's and Girl's high school basketball players and coaches of the year, high school scholar-athletes, basketball officials, student sections and overall contributors to the game. The Naismith Trophy was first presented to UCLA's Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) in 1969. Old Dominion's Anne Donovan won the inaugural Women's Naismith Trophy in 1983.
The Lady Toppers return to action on Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 6:00 p.m. CT in Clarksville, Tenn., when WKU faces Austin Peay.
WKU returns home for their final game before the holiday break on Sunday, Dec. 21 to face Ball State. Tipoff is set for 2:00 p.m. CT.
- The game will feature a toy drive to benefit Marine Toys for Tots foundation drive. Individuals that bring a new toy will receive a complimentary ticket to the game. Toys will be given out to the children in Bowling Green area for Christmas.
- As part of the continuing slate of home games in E.A. Diddle Arena, fans can participate in the new Lady Toppers U Win Program. Fans that buy a $10 upper level reserved seat to any home game between Monday, Dec. 1 and Sunday, Dec. 21 will receive a free ticket to the each of the next WKU home games as long as the Lady Toppers continue to win. For example, if WKU wins the next 10 home games after fans purchase their $10 upper level reserved seat, they will receive a free ticket to each of the 10 ensuing home games for the remainder of the 2014-15 season.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE LADY TOPPERS: For complete information on Lady Topper Basketball, visit www.wkusports.com, follow the program on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WKUWomensBasketball, follow the program on Instagram via "LadyTopperHoops" or follow the program on Twitter via @LadyTopperHoops.
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