NEW YORK – UConn senior guard KK Arnold and Villanova junior guard Jasmine Bascoe have been named to the 20-player watchlist for the 2027 Nancy Lieberman Award, announced Monday by the Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).

Last season, Arnold averaged 4.6 assists per game while leading UConn with 174 assists in 38 games. She set the program's single-season record for assist-to-turnover ratio (4.05), ranking second nationally, and added 102 steals, second-most on the team. Arnold scored in double figures 11 times, including a season-high 18 points against Creighton in the BIG EAST Tournament. She earned All-BIG EAST First Team, All-Defensive Team and All-Tournament Team honors in 2026.

Bascoe led the BIG EAST in scoring (18.9 ppg) and assists (4.8 apg) last season, earning unanimous First Team All-BIG EAST honors for the second consecutive year. She totaled 624 points, 158 assists and 65 steals across 33 games, shooting 40.0 percent from the field and 83.9 percent from the free-throw line. Bascoe scored in double figures in 31 games, including 16 performances of 20 or more points and two 30-point outings. She enters the 2026-27 season with 23 career games of 20 or more points and surpassed 1,000 career points during her sophomore season.

Now in its 28th year, the Nancy Lieberman Award recognizes the top point guard in NCAA Division I women's college basketball. 

Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting in each of the three rounds starting on Friday, October 30. In February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2027 Nancy Lieberman Award will be narrowed to 10, then to five in March. In late March, the five finalists will be presented to Lieberman and the Hall of Fame's selection committees, where the winner will be selected. The selection committee is composed of top college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.

The winner of the 2027 Lieberman Award will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with the four other members of the Women's Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award (Shooting Guard), Cheryl Miller Award (Small Forward), Katrina McClain Award (Power Forward), and Lisa Leslie Award (Center).