All eyes are on Florida State women’s basketball star Ta’Niya Latson after her game-winning layup that clinched an upset road victory over North Carolina on Sunday.
The next day, she earned ACC Player of the Week for the second week in a row. This is the fifth time she received the ACC honors and twice on back-to-back weeks.
With Latson playing at an All-American level, what are the chances that the Miami native could be considered for National Player of the Year honors?
More: FSU basketball star Ta’Niya Latson’s 3-point shooting improvement puts her on another level
Why Ta’Niya Latson should be National Player of the Year
Latson has been the nation’s No. 1 leading scorer all year, averaging 26.5 points a game. She is in the top five in almost every scoring category, including field goal percentage and attempts.
Her career-high was 40 points against Virginia Tech, which tied the school record for most points in a game.
She recorded three doubles and her first career triple-double on Nov. 30 against Gonzaga during the Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where she was named MVP during that invitational.
Going into this season, Latson has been on different watch lists for different national awards, including the Naismith Trophy, the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, the Wooden Award, and the Wade Award.
She surpassed former Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark for the fastest power-four junior to reach over 400 points in women’s college basketball history.
More: FSU basketball’s Ta’Niya Latson’s motivation leads to elevating her game this season
Who are other notable candidates for National Player of the Year
Hannah Hidalgo
Hannah Hidalgo is right on Latson’s tail, averaging 25.4 points a game. The third-ranked Notre Dame is in contention for the national title, with Hidalgo being the focal point of the Fighting Irish.
One of her best performances was against UConn when it was the No. 2 team in the country. She led the Fighting Irish with a double-double of 29 points and 10 rebounds. She was only two assists shy of a triple-double. The Fighting Irish beat the Huskies 79-68.
JuJu Watkins
JuJu Watkins, out of USC, has been in the national spotlight since her freshman year. Watkins is the third-leading scorer in the country, averaging 24.8 points a game.
Some of her best performances when USC is going toe-to-toe against ranked opponents. Against No. 4 UConn, she dropped 25 points, beating the Huskies 72-70.
Paige Bueckers
They don’t call UConn’s Paige Bueckers “Buckets” for nothing. The senior guard has been one of the top shooters in the country for the last three seasons.
She shoots 56 percent from the field and 42.9 from 3. In 19 games, she averages 19.6 points. After this season, Bueckers is expected to be a highly touted prospect in the WNBA.
Lauren Betts
UCLA is the only undefeated team left. Junior center Lauren Betts may play a part in that. Betts, at 6-foot-7, is one of the top big in the country, leading the Bruins with 21 points a game and 9.9 rebounds a game. UCLA is the No. 1 team in the country.
How Ta’Niya Latson become a front runner
Latson will continue to do what she does best. If she stays on pace as the top-leading scorer, she may at least be a finalist.
The next step for Latson and the Seminoles is facing more top-tier opponents. Beating UNC was FSU’s best win. There will be more games like this on FSU’s remainder schedule.
Some notable opponents include No. 17 North Carolina State, No. 20 Georgia Tech, No. 3 Notre Dame and No. 10 Duke to end the regular season. The more marquee games the Seminoles win, the more spotlight will be on Latson.
More: Men’s college basketball rankings: ACC teams in Coaches Poll, AP Top 25 on Jan. 27
Peter Holland Jr. covers Florida State athletics for Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at PHolland@Gannett.com or on X @_Da_pistol.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU’s Ta’Niya Latson making real push for national player of the year
