Tabatha Richardson-Smith Named To Naismith Trophy Midseason 30
2/10/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
ATLANTA - Seton Hall women's basketball senior star Tabatha Richardson-Smith (Bay City, Texas) has been named to the 2016 Naismith Trophy Midseason 30, as announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club on Wednesday (Feb. 10). Richardson-Smith remains a candidate for the Women's College Player of the Year, initially making the Early Season Watch List on Dec. 9.
Richardson-Smith, who currently sits 27 points away from Seton Hall's all-time scoring record, has saved her best season in South Orange for last. The guard is currently averaging a career-high 19.8 points per game to lead the BIG EAST and rank top-35 nationally. In conference play, that number spikes to 23.5 points per game. Richardson-Smith has scored 20 or more in nine of 12 BIG EAST games and has eclipsed 25 during six league outings.
Also plying her trade on the glass this season, Richardson-Smith is averaging a career-best 7.0 rebounds per game to rank third on the Pirates and sixth in the BIG EAST. She is second among all BIG EAST guards in rebounding and has recorded three double-doubles this season. Richardson-Smith checks in tied for the league-lead with 2.4 made 3-pointers per outing and tops the conference with an 85.1 percent mark from the charity stripe, good for 41st nationally.
Richardson-Smith has etched her name throughout the Seton Hall record books during her senior season. She ranks second all-time in scoring (1,777 points), sixth in steals (211) and 14th in rebounding (658). Last season she became the program's all-time leader in 3-pointers and has only added to that mark this season, currently with 254 career triples. Richardson-Smith is one of two players in program history (along with Ozelina Gorham) to eclipse 1,600 points, 600 rebounds and 200 steals in a career.
The Naismith Trophy will announce 10 semifinalists for the prestigious award on March 9, cutting down from the current 30-member list. Richardson-Smith is one of three BIG EAST players on the Midseason 30, along with St. John's' Aliyyah Handford and DePaul's Chanise Jenkins.
The Pirates return to action on Friday, Dec. 12 against Georgetown at Walsh Gym. Tip-off in The Hall's "Play 4 Kay" breast cancer awareness game is set for 7 p.m. on the BIG EAST Digital Network and FOX Sports GO app.
