Tye Jackson Named To Naismith Watch List
12/18/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 18, 2007
ATLANTA - University of Houston senior guard Tye Jackson was among 50 players named to the initial watch list for the 2007-08 Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Tuesday.
Jackson, the 2007 Conference USA Preseason Player of the Year, is the lone C-USA player to be named a candidate. She also was named to the 2006-07 preseason Naismith Trophy watch list and also was named an initial candidate for the 2007-08 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award on Dec. 4.
Despite battling a chronic knee injury, Jackson is the second-leading scorer on the UH squad, averaging 12.7 ppg. She missed two games earlier this season but returned to the starting lineup against Texas Tech on Dec. 4.
Jackson is one point away from eclipsing the 1,000-point plateau for her career. She looks to become the 18th player in the program's 32-year history and the first since Sancho Lyttle (2005) to earn a spot on the list.
Jackson has earned First-Team All-Conference USA honors twice and was the nation's third-leading returning scorer this season after averaging 22.5 ppg in 2006-07. She was the only C-USA player last season to rank among the league's Top-15 leaders in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals.
The Naismith Trophy is the most prestigious national award presented annually to college basketball's players of the year. The watch list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club's Board of Selectors, which based its preseason criteria on player performances from last season and expectations for the 2007-08 campaign. There are 27 seniors, 18 juniors and five sophomores on the list, which does not include incoming freshmen, who will be considered in the first ballot in January 2008.
"While the major conferences are well-represented, we are also impressed by the players from mid-majors," said Gary Stokan, Atlanta Tipoff Club president. "It's proof positive that the talent level of Women's Basketball is as strong as it's ever been, and selecting the Naismith winner this year will be a challenge."
AT&T will continue to set the standard in allowing fans to participate in determining this year's winner. Through the power and ease of text messaging, fan voting will account for an unprecedented 25% of the final results - more than any other national college basketball award.
In January, the Naismith Trophy voting academy, comprised of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country, will narrow its preseason list to the Top 30 players in the nation. Those players will be eligible for the final ballot in March. In April, the Naismith Trophy winner will be recognized at the NCAA Women's Final Four in Tampa, Fla.
Houston (4-7) starts a season-long six-game homestand on Dec. 21 against longtime rival TCU. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST on Guy V. Lewis Court at Hofheinz Pavilion.
UH's second game of the homestand, a Dec. 28 matchup against Duke, has been moved up to a 1 p.m. start due to the Cougar Football team's participation in the Texas Bowl that evening at Reliant Stadium.
Fans can listen to a free internet radio broadcast of all UH games this year by clicking on the Stretch Internet Broadcast link at UHCougars.com. Streaming video for all home games will also be made available through the All-Access package at UHCougars.com.
2007-08 Naismith Trophy Watch List
Name ... Yr. ... Pos. ... School
Matee Ajavon ... Sr. ... G ... Rutgers
Charel Allen ... Sr. ... G ... Notre Dame
Jolene Anderson ... Sr. ... G ... Wisconsin
Nicky Anosike ... Sr. ... C ... Tennessee
Jayne Appel ... So. ... F/C ... Stanford
Tahnee Balerio ... Sr. ... G ... Missouri State
Kimberly Beck ... Sr. ... G ... George Washington
Jernisha Cann ... Jr. ... F ... IUPUI
Essence Carson ... Sr. ... G/F ... Rutgers
Tina Charles ... So. ... C ... Connecticut
Kristi Cirone ... Jr. ... G ... Illinois State
Marissa Coleman ... Jr. ... G/F ... Maryland
Meagan Cowher ... Sr. ... F ... Princeton
Brandy Dahir ... Sr. ... F ... Drake
Allyssa DeHaan ... So. ... C ... Michigan State
Traci Edwards ... Jr. ... C ... Wis.-Milwaukee
Krystal Ellis ... Jr. ... G ... Marquette
Sylvia Fowles ... Sr. ... C ... Louisiana State
Devanei Hampton ... Jr. ... F/C ... California
Laura Harper ... Sr. ... F/C ... Maryland
Amber Harris ... So. ... F ... Xavier
Carlene Hightower ... Sr. ... G/F ... La Salle
Alexis Hornbuckle ... Sr. ... G ... Tennessee
Charde Houston ... Sr. ... F ... Connecticut
Tasha Humphrey ... Sr. ... F ... Georgia
Tye Jackson ... Sr. ... G ... Houston
Kelsey Kahle ... Jr. ... G/F ... Portland State
Crystal Kelly ... Sr. ... F ... Western Kentucky
Crystal Langhorne ... Sr. ... F/C ... Maryland
Erlana Larkins ... Sr. ... F ... North Carolina
Angel McCoughtry ... Jr. ... F ... Louisville
Jackie McFarland ... Sr. ... F ... Colorado
Renee Montgomery ... Jr. ... G ... Connecticut
Mandy Morales ... Jr. ... G ... Montana
Marlena Murphy ... Sr. ... F ... Campbell
Sherell Neal ... Sr. ... F ... New Mexico State
Marscilla Packer ... Sr. ... G ... Ohio State
Courtney Paris ... Jr. ... C ... Oklahoma
Candace Parker ... Jr. ... G/F/C ... Tennessee
Rebekah Parker ... Sr. ... G/F ... Evansville
Tanya Smith ... Sr. ... F ... Hawaii
Takia Starks ... Jr. ... G ... Texas A&M
Toni Thomas ... Jr. ... F ... Cal State Fullerton
Kristi Toliver ... Jr. ... G ... Maryland
Kia Vaughn ... Jr. ... C ... Rutgers
Ashley Walker ... Jr. ... F/C ... California
Marcedes Walker ... Sr. ... C ... Pittsburgh
Abby Waner ... Jr. ... G ... Duke
Candice Wiggins ... Sr. ... G ... Stanford
Monica Wright ... So. ... G ... Virginia
