South Carolina senior point guard Raven Johnson continues her stellar campaign, earning recognition Monday on the Nancy Lieberman Award’s midseason top 10 list. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, in partnership with the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), honors the nation’s top point guard annually with the award named for Hall of Fame legend Nancy Lieberman.
Career-Best Performance
Johnson’s first appearance on the prestigious midseason list comes as no surprise given her exceptional play through 23 games. The Atlanta native is posting career highs across multiple categories, averaging 9.9 points and 5.1 assists while adding 4.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 0.7 blocks per contest.
Her efficiency has reached new peaks as well. Johnson is shooting 51.4% from the field, 37% from three-point range, and a career-best 84.4% from the free-throw line. Those numbers elevate in marquee matchups—she’s averaging 12.1 points on 55.4% shooting against ranked opponents and leads SEC play with 12.3 points per game on 54.8% shooting, second-best in the conference.
Elite Facilitator and Defender
Beyond scoring, Johnson ranks sixth in the SEC in assists per game while boasting a 3.5 assist-to-turnover ratio, fifth-best nationally. She already sits fifth in program history for career assists and owns three of South Carolina’s top seven single-season assist-to-turnover ratios.
Her defensive prowess is equally impressive. Johnson has established herself as one of college basketball’s premier perimeter defenders, routinely neutralizing opposing teams’ best guards while maintaining offensive efficiency as the Gamecocks’ floor general.
Championship Pedigree
Johnson’s resume extends well beyond individual statistics. With her directing the offense, South Carolina has compiled a remarkable 128-7 record, including three Final Four appearances, one national championship, one runner-up finish, three SEC regular-season titles, and three SEC Tournament championships.
Selection Process
The midseason top 10 will be trimmed to five finalists in mid-March before a final selection around the Final Four. The selection committee comprises top women’s college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers, with Lieberman herself participating in the final decision.
Fan voting opens Friday, February 6, at hoophallawards.com and will count as one committee vote during finalist selection.
The 2026 Lieberman Award winner will be announced on a to-be-determined date alongside recipients of the other Women’s Starting Five awards: Ann Meyers Drysdale Award (shooting guard), Cheryl Miller Award (small forward), Katrina McClain Award (power forward), and Lisa Leslie Award (center).
Other Midseason Honorees
Joining Johnson on the top 10 list are Zoe Brooks (NC State), Aaliyah Chavez (Oklahoma), Rori Harmon (Texas), Hannah Hidalgo (Notre Dame), Liv McGill (Florida), Olivia Miles (TCU), Tonie Morgan (Kentucky), Britt Prince (Nebraska), and Kiki Rice (UCLA).
Upcoming Schedule
The third-ranked Gamecocks face Texas A&M tonight at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2 before returning home to host Mississippi State on Thursday, February 5, and No. 15 Tennessee on Sunday, February 8.
