Washington's Thybulle named semifinalist for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year
Washington's Matisse Thybulle on Thursday was named a semifinalist for 2018-19 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.
The wiry 6-foot-5 defensive stalwart, a senior leader for the Pac-12-leading Huskies (21-5, 12-1), is one of 10 players nationally still in contention for the award.
Thybulle leads the nation with 3.5 steals per game and ranks 34th at 2.2 blocks per game. The reigning Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, he's the only player in the country averaging at least three steals and two blocks.
The Issaquah native currently sits atop the NCAA with 295 steals, which is third all time in Pac-12 history behind Brevin Knight (298) and Gary Payton (321). He's also just 27 blocks shy of breaking the UW record (186) set by Christian Welp in 1986.
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