COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina senior Brea Beal is one of 20 candidates named to the 2023 Cheryl Miller Award Watch List, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced today. In its sixth year, the award recognizes the top small forwards in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball.
Beal has been a mainstay in the Gamecocks’ starting lineup because of her strength and ability to defend anywhere on the floor. Regularly taking on an opponent’s toughest scorer, she personifies the program’s defensive effort – gritty, physical and unrelenting. While her impact may not show up in traditional defensive stats, Beal’s defense makes an impact night-in and night-out. In 2021-22, her primary guard reached her scoring average just six times and 10 players were held to less than half their scoring average, including Maryland’s Chloe Bibby (2 points at South Carolin), Kentucky’s Rhyne Howard (9 points at South Carolina) and UConn’ Christyn Williams (2 points in National Championship game).
In the Gamecocks’ march through the 2022 NCAA Tournament, Beal impressed on both ends of the court. Her usual defensive impact was at another level as she held her primary guard to just 47.9 percent of their season scoring averages. Offensively, she lifted her own production by 35.4 percent, adding 6.5 points per game compared to her 4.8 average entering the tournament.
A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates, and college basketball fans are encouraged to participate in the Fan Voting, presented by Dell Technologies, in each of the three rounds starting Fri., Oct. 21. In late January, the watch list of 20 players will be narrowed to 10 and then to just five in late February. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Ms. Miller and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee where the winner will be selected.
The winner of the 2023 Cheryl Miller Award will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with the other four members of the Women’s Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard Award, the Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard Award, the Katrina McClain Power Forward Award and the Lisa Leslie Center Award, in addition to the Men’s Starting Five.
South Carolina will host an exhibition game against Benedict on Mon., Oct. 31, prior to officially opening the 2022-23 season on Mon., Nov. 7,…