St. John's University Athletics
McKenith 'Making The Buzz' For The Nancy Lieberman Award
1/19/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 19, 2011
QUEENS, N.Y. - St. John's sophomore point guard Nadirah McKenith is one of 32 national women's basketball standouts on the initial list of 2011 "Players Making The Buzz" for the Nancy Lieberman Award.
This is the second-straight year that the Newark, N.J., native is on the initial "Buzz List." As a rookie in 2010, McKenith was recognized as one of the Top Eight Finalists for the national award.
The annual award recognizes the nation's top point guard in Division I women's basketball and is sponsored by the Detroit Rotary Club. The criteria for the award are the floor leadership, play-making and ball-handling skills that personified Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman during her career. Sportswriters from across the country determine the award winner and finalists, who will be announced in April.
McKenith, came to the Red Storm out of University High School in New Jersey and made an immediate impact as the point guard for St. John's. McKenith was a key player in the Red Storm's run to the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
McKenith won the starting job after just her fifth game in 2009, in 2010-11, the sophomore has started 12 of 19 games, sitting seven games due to various nagging injuries. McKenith started the first five games this season, setting a career-best 24 points against Kansas State in just the second game of the year (Nov. 13).
During December, McKenith was plagued with both a thumb and groin injury that put her into more of a reserve role. As BIG EAST play began, McKenith returned to the starting role and has been the starting point guard since January 8 (four-straight games).
The sophomore point guard averages 26.1 minutes, 7.2 points, 3.2 assists and 2.1 steals per game. She has had five or more assists in five games this season, with a season-high nine vs. Manhattan (Nov. 16). Her career-best assists performance was 14 at Pittsburgh (March 1, 2010), which tied her for sixth on St. John's all-time game records.
