Northwestern University Athletics
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Burton Named to National Defensive Player of the Year Watch List
1/26/2021 8:59:00 AM | Women's Basketball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Junior guard Veronica Burton was named to the 2021 Naismith Women's Defensive Player of the Year Watch List, as announced by Atlanta Tipoff Club on Tuesday morning.
Burton is one of just 15 players nationally on the list and one of three in the Big Ten. Burton is the reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
The Newton, Mass. native leads the Big Ten and ranks second in the nation with 4.64 steals per game. She has led the conference in that category every year during her time at Northwestern.
Her activity at the prong of Northwestern's vaunted Blizzard defense has propelled the team to some elite numbers nationally. The Wildcats rank fourth nationally in steals per game (13.5), ninth in turnovers forced per game (22.6) and second in turnover margin (+11.0). Additionally, the 'Cats own the third best scoring defense in the Big Ten and commit the fewest fouls per game in the conference.
Burton has posted five games with five steals or more this season, tied for the most with any player in the country. That has allowed her, in part, to post two quadruple-nickels this season of points, rebounds, assists and steals, and she is the only player in the NCAA to do so with no turnovers after her effort against Illinois.
The junior's all around game has gone up a level this season, as she is averaging 17.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists with just 1.5 turnovers. Her assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.24 leads the Big Ten and ranks 12th nationally.
Burton has been rapidly ascending through the Northwestern record books as a junior, and with her 51 steals this season, she has amassed 232 career steals, the third most in program history and just four away from second place on the list.
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Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter, become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook, check us out on Instagram, visit our Social Media page and download our mobile app from the Apple Store and Google Play! To get involved with the #B1GCats, become a season-ticket holder or join the Wildcat Fund!
Burton is one of just 15 players nationally on the list and one of three in the Big Ten. Burton is the reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
The Newton, Mass. native leads the Big Ten and ranks second in the nation with 4.64 steals per game. She has led the conference in that category every year during her time at Northwestern.
Her activity at the prong of Northwestern's vaunted Blizzard defense has propelled the team to some elite numbers nationally. The Wildcats rank fourth nationally in steals per game (13.5), ninth in turnovers forced per game (22.6) and second in turnover margin (+11.0). Additionally, the 'Cats own the third best scoring defense in the Big Ten and commit the fewest fouls per game in the conference.
Burton has posted five games with five steals or more this season, tied for the most with any player in the country. That has allowed her, in part, to post two quadruple-nickels this season of points, rebounds, assists and steals, and she is the only player in the NCAA to do so with no turnovers after her effort against Illinois.
The junior's all around game has gone up a level this season, as she is averaging 17.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists with just 1.5 turnovers. Her assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.24 leads the Big Ten and ranks 12th nationally.
Burton has been rapidly ascending through the Northwestern record books as a junior, and with her 51 steals this season, she has amassed 232 career steals, the third most in program history and just four away from second place on the list.
••••••
Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter, become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook, check us out on Instagram, visit our Social Media page and download our mobile app from the Apple Store and Google Play! To get involved with the #B1GCats, become a season-ticket holder or join the Wildcat Fund!
Players Mentioned
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