Rhyne Howard on Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Women’s Midseason Team

The accolades continue to pour in for Kentucky women’s basketball superstar Rhyne Howard.

After being named to the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Award Top 10 Watch List, Dawn Staley Award Late Season Watch List and John R. Wooden Award Late Season Top 20 Watch List in the last week alone, the junior guard has now been tabbed to the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Women’s Midseason Team.

Howard, who joins the list of 30 total players, was named a finalist for the award last year. The list will be cut down to ten semifinalists on March 2, followed by another cut down to four finalists on March 19. The winner of the 2021 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy for Women’s Player of the Year will be announced on April 3.

Coming in as the preseason favorite for national player of the year, Howard leads Kentucky with 19.7 points per game and adding 7.1 rebounds per game. The standout guard currently leads Kentucky with 34 3-pointers made and is second on the team with 56 assists and 27 steals. In SEC play, Howard is averaging 22.6 points per game with 7.7 rebounds per game and leads UK with 37 assists.

Her best performances this season have come against highly ranked opponents. In seven games against ranked foes, Howard is hitting nearly 50 percent from the field and averaging 23.6 points per game and 7.4 rebounds per game with 22 assists, 14 steals and four blocks. In four straight games against ranked opponents – vs. Arkansas, at Mississippi State, at Texas A&M and vs. South Carolina – Howard scored a combined 111 points including 33 at Mississippi State and 32 against the Gamecocks. In those four games, Howard combined for 33 rebounds, 18 assists and five steals. Against State, Howard put the team on her back late in the game scoring 25 of her 33 points in the fourth quarter and overtime. In fact, Howard scored 25 of Kentucky’s final 31 points in the game, including 10 of the team’s 14 overtime points.

Howard continues her move up the career record book at UK, ranking fourth all-time in career 3-pointers made with 192, while her 1,454 career points scored ranks 14th all-time. On the year, Howard has led UK in scoring, rebounding and assists eight times.

Fans are encouraged to visit RhyneHoward.com to keep up with the junior’s campaign to become a unanimous All-America selection and national player of the year.

(UK Athletics)