2. MacKenzie Holmes – Indiana Hoosiers
2022-23 stats: 22.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.9 bpg
The Hoosiers have entered the week as the No. 2 ranked team in NCAA Basketball, with a record of 26-1 (16-1 Big Ten). The lone loss was at Michigan State but the team has nine wins against ranked opponents, including four against the top 10. That includes over Clark and Iowa and Miller and Maryland.
Holmes has been the star for Indiana, scoring at least 12 points in every game and averaging 24.2 ppg in Big Ten play alone. She went for 32 points on the road at Ohio State, 24 vs Iowa, 30 points, 10 rebounds, and six steals to beat Illinois. The forward has been extremely consistent all season, shooting an incredible 69% from the field. That’s why Indiana has found a way to be No. 1 in the best conference and a strong candidate to be the best player in the country.
1. Aliyah Boston – South Carolina Gamecocks
2022-23 stats: 13.0 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 1.9 bpg
Boston was last year’s National Player of the Year but she was averaging around 16.0 ppg and 12.5 rpg. The stats are down but not because she’s playing badly but rather that she’s playing less, due to the team blowing too many teams out. The Gamecocks remain No. 1 in the country at 27-0, including wins over LSU, Tennesee, UConn, Maryland, UCLA, and Stanford.
Against Brink and the Cardinal in the 1 vs 2 matchup, Boston went for 13 points and 14 rebounds. She had a season-high 26 points and 11 rebounds in the close win over UConn and dominated her matchup with Reece, scoring 14 points and helping limit the nation’s second-leading rebounder to just four on the night.
Not only is Boston a favorite for Women’s National Player of the Year but also Defensive National Player of the Year. Her interior defense has been the key reason why teams can’t beat South Carolina this season and while the stats don’t match up with the elite scorers, from an impact perspective, Boston should be the MVP.