Completed Event: Women's Basketball versus Northwestern State on November 9, 2025 , Win , 75, to, 60
Final
Women's Basketball
75
vs Northwestern State
60
Nichols Named to Naismith Award Watch List
10/30/2025 11:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas junior point guard S'Mya Nichols earned her second preseason honor of the week Thursday as one of 50 players named to the 2025-26 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Women's Player of the Year Watch List presented by AXIA Time.
Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, the creator of the game of basketball, the Naismith Women's Basketball Player of the Year award has been presented since 1983 and is given each year to the top basketball player in the nation. Each year the club's board publishes the Naismith Award Watch List that is made up of the top 50 players to watch in women's college basketball.
This is the second watch list of the year for Nichols, who was chosen as one of 20 preseason nominees on the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Watch List on Monday. She was also a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team for the second straight season. Nichols is on the Naismith Award Watch List for the second straight year, and Kansas has now had a player on the list in each of the past three seasons with Taiyanna Jackson earning a spot in 2023. Prior to 2023, Kansas had not had a player on the Naismith Award Watch List since Chelsea Gardner in 2014.
Nichols came to Kansas as the program's highest-ranked recruit in recent memory and she is now a two-year starter and two-time All-Big 12 First Team selection. She enters her junior season as one of the top returners in the conference. Last season, Nichols led the Jayhawks and ranked fifth in the league in scoring at 18.6 points per game, while scoring in double figures 26 times in 30 games, with 16 games of scoring 20 or more points.
A native of Overland Park, Kansas, Nichols became the second-fastest player in program history to score 1,000 career points, doing so in 58 games. Through two seasons at KU, Nichols has started 63 games and scored 1,065 points, an average of 16.9 per game. In 2024-25, Nichols shattered the single season school record for free throws made with 218, which ranked second in the nation and fifth in Big 12 history. She shot 83.8 percent (218-260) from the free throw line, 46.2 percent (156-338) from the field and 38.0 percent (27-71) from three-point range last season.
Nichols is one of seven players from the Big 12 Conference on the Naismith Award Watch List joined by Addy Brown and Audi Crooks (Iowa State), Delaney Gibb (BYU), Stailee Heard (Oklahoma State), Darianna Littlepage-Buggs (Baylor) and Olivia Miles (TCU).
After totaling 20 points and five assists in KU's 90-59 exhibition victory over Fort Hays State on Wednesday night, Nichols will lead the Jayhawks into regular season next Wednesday, Nov. 5, at 6:30 p.m. CT against Kansas City. Season tickets for Kansas women's basketball season are on sale now. For as low as $110, fans can reserve their seat at Allen Fieldhouse for the upcoming season. To learn more about ticket options, fans are encouraged to visit KUAthletics.com or call 800-34-HAWKS.
Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, the creator of the game of basketball, the Naismith Women's Basketball Player of the Year award has been presented since 1983 and is given each year to the top basketball player in the nation. Each year the club's board publishes the Naismith Award Watch List that is made up of the top 50 players to watch in women's college basketball.
This is the second watch list of the year for Nichols, who was chosen as one of 20 preseason nominees on the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Watch List on Monday. She was also a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team for the second straight season. Nichols is on the Naismith Award Watch List for the second straight year, and Kansas has now had a player on the list in each of the past three seasons with Taiyanna Jackson earning a spot in 2023. Prior to 2023, Kansas had not had a player on the Naismith Award Watch List since Chelsea Gardner in 2014.
Nichols came to Kansas as the program's highest-ranked recruit in recent memory and she is now a two-year starter and two-time All-Big 12 First Team selection. She enters her junior season as one of the top returners in the conference. Last season, Nichols led the Jayhawks and ranked fifth in the league in scoring at 18.6 points per game, while scoring in double figures 26 times in 30 games, with 16 games of scoring 20 or more points.
A native of Overland Park, Kansas, Nichols became the second-fastest player in program history to score 1,000 career points, doing so in 58 games. Through two seasons at KU, Nichols has started 63 games and scored 1,065 points, an average of 16.9 per game. In 2024-25, Nichols shattered the single season school record for free throws made with 218, which ranked second in the nation and fifth in Big 12 history. She shot 83.8 percent (218-260) from the free throw line, 46.2 percent (156-338) from the field and 38.0 percent (27-71) from three-point range last season.
Nichols is one of seven players from the Big 12 Conference on the Naismith Award Watch List joined by Addy Brown and Audi Crooks (Iowa State), Delaney Gibb (BYU), Stailee Heard (Oklahoma State), Darianna Littlepage-Buggs (Baylor) and Olivia Miles (TCU).
After totaling 20 points and five assists in KU's 90-59 exhibition victory over Fort Hays State on Wednesday night, Nichols will lead the Jayhawks into regular season next Wednesday, Nov. 5, at 6:30 p.m. CT against Kansas City. Season tickets for Kansas women's basketball season are on sale now. For as low as $110, fans can reserve their seat at Allen Fieldhouse for the upcoming season. To learn more about ticket options, fans are encouraged to visit KUAthletics.com or call 800-34-HAWKS.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballWomen's Basketball Postgame Press Conference vs. Oral Roberts
Sunday, November 23
Women's Basketball Highlights vs. Oral Roberts
Sunday, November 23
The Jayhawker Podcast ft. Freshman Sensation Jaliya Davis
Friday, November 21
Women's Basketball Postgame Press Conference vs. Minnesota
Wednesday, November 19