Bell a semifinalist for national defensive award
Gophers Kenisha Bell
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - University of Minnesota senior guard Kenisha Bell is a semifinalist for an award that not many players embrace: Defense.
Bell was named one of 10 semifinalists on Tuesday for the Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year. She’s one of three Big Ten players to be nominated, along with Iowa’s Megan Gustafson and Purdue’s Ae-Rianna Harris.
She’s also one of three guards to earn the nomination.
Bell leads the Big Ten with 55 steals and is second in the league in steals per game, averaging 2.1. She has at least one steal in 21 of Minnesota’s 26 games this season. She’s got multiple steals in 16 games and at least three steals in 10 games. Bell is currently eighth in Minnesota history with 207 career steals.
Bell is the defensive catalyst for the Gophers, who are ranked No. 57 in the country in scoring defense at 58.8 points per game, which is also second in the Big Ten. The mark is also their best in 42 years.
She’s also the Gophers’ leading scorer at 18.8 points per game.
The Gophers (19-7, 8-7) take a six-game winning streak to Maryland Thursday night.