Chasity Patterson Named Semifinalist for Naismith Defensive POY
LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky women’s basketball senior guard Chasity Patterson has been named one of 10 semifinalists for 2021 Naismith Women’s Defensive Player of the Year, it was announced Tuesday.
Patterson has had an impressive senior season, ranking top-five nationally with 67 steals and top-10 nationally with 3.19 steals per game. Her impressive steal total this season has moved her up to fourth in program history in steals per game with over 3.5. The Houston native has started all 21 contests, averaging 12.9 points per game on 48.6% shooting from the field. She is hitting 36.3 percent from 3 and has dished out 61 assists this season.
The guard has recorded seven or more steals four times this season, including four or more steals in three Southeastern Conference games. Patterson is the only player in the SEC this season to record eight or more steals in a game, doing it an impressive three times. On the year, Patterson has led UK in scoring five times, assists seven times and steals 13 times.
The speedy guard has put her name all over the UK record book this season becoming the third player in school history to score at least 30 points in a season opener. She is also the third player in program history to record 10 or more steals in a game while her and Leslie Nichols are the only players to record eight or more steals in three or more games in a season.
Recently, Patterson had one of her best games of the season against top-20 ranked Tennessee, scoring 21 points with five rebounds. She went 5-of-8 from the field and 3-of-4 from long range win the game with a steal.
Last season, Patterson was named the 2019-20 SEC Sixth Woman of the Year, despite playing just 19 games. She made her Kentucky debut at California on Dec. 21, 2019, after sitting out for one year because of the NCAA transfer rule. She impressed the coaching staff in her opening game, recording nine points, four steals and four rebounds in just 24 minutes. Patterson came off the bench in all 19 contests last season, playing 19.3 minutes per game. Patterson ended an unfinished season averaging 11.5 points per game and 2.2 rebounds per game, while dishing out 29 assists and forcing 25 steals.
For more information on the Kentucky women’s basketball team, visit UKathletics.com or follow @KentuckyWBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
