University of Tennessee Athletics
Key Named Semifinalist For Naismith Women's Defensive Player of the Year
February 28, 2022 | Women's Basketball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee's Tamari Key has been named one of 10 Naismith Women's Defensive Player of the Year semifinalists, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced on Monday.
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Key, a 6-foot-6 center from Cary, N.C., leads the nation in blocked shots with 108 and is second in blocks per game at 3.72. Her total this season in only 29 games is the second highest in school history and marks her third appearance on the UT single-season list along with the No. 5 tally of 86 as a freshman and the No. 9 sum of 72 as a sophomore. Her 3.72 season average ranks No. 1 in UT history.
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Currently sitting in sixth on the SEC single-season record list, Key stands five swats away from tying Kelley Cain (113, 2009-10) for the UT standard and moving to No. 5 on the SEC list. The UT standout has eight more blocks than her nearest challenger, Lucy Cochrane of Portland (100), and is 19 ahead of her nearest Power 5 competitor, Ayoka Lee of Kansas State (89).
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Key's career average of 3.13 also ranks No. 1 in school annals, and she currently has the second-most swats ever by a UT woman, accumulating 266 thus far and standing nine behind career record-holder Candace Parker (275). Parker achieved her total in 110 games from 2005-08, while Key has played in 85 thus far.
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Seven times during her career, including four occasions this season, Key has posted single-game block totals worthy of UT's all-time top 10. She has the second (11), third (10, 3x), sixth (9) and ninth (7, 2x) marks on the list.
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Key is a central figure in a Lady Vol defense that ranks No. 4 in field goal percentage defense (33.7). She has helped Tennessee hold 21 of 29 opponents to 36-percent shooting or lower, and 17 of 29 foes to 60 points or fewer.
While Key is fantastic at defending her player (such as Elizabeth Kitley, Va. Tech, 1-12 FG, 4 pts. / Olivia Nelson-Ododa, UConn, 2-4 FG, 6 pts. / Faustine Aifuwa, LSU, 2-5 FG, 6 points), she defends outside her area and also discourages or disrupts countless drives and shots from other players.
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Offensively, she averages 10.6 points per game and shoots 60 percent from the field, and her 8.4 rebound average also contributes heavily on both ends, with UT out-rebounding all but five opponents this season and doing so by double digits on 20 occasions. UT ranks No. 2 nationally in rebounds per game (48.28) and defensive rebounds per game (31.8), thanks to her efforts.
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In terms of team results, Key's play has been instrumental in helping Kellie Harper's squad to a 22-7 overall record, 11-5 SEC mark and a third-place league finish despite injuries that have impacted UT's roster.
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Key, a 6-foot-6 center from Cary, N.C., leads the nation in blocked shots with 108 and is second in blocks per game at 3.72. Her total this season in only 29 games is the second highest in school history and marks her third appearance on the UT single-season list along with the No. 5 tally of 86 as a freshman and the No. 9 sum of 72 as a sophomore. Her 3.72 season average ranks No. 1 in UT history.
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Currently sitting in sixth on the SEC single-season record list, Key stands five swats away from tying Kelley Cain (113, 2009-10) for the UT standard and moving to No. 5 on the SEC list. The UT standout has eight more blocks than her nearest challenger, Lucy Cochrane of Portland (100), and is 19 ahead of her nearest Power 5 competitor, Ayoka Lee of Kansas State (89).
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Key's career average of 3.13 also ranks No. 1 in school annals, and she currently has the second-most swats ever by a UT woman, accumulating 266 thus far and standing nine behind career record-holder Candace Parker (275). Parker achieved her total in 110 games from 2005-08, while Key has played in 85 thus far.
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Seven times during her career, including four occasions this season, Key has posted single-game block totals worthy of UT's all-time top 10. She has the second (11), third (10, 3x), sixth (9) and ninth (7, 2x) marks on the list.
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Key is a central figure in a Lady Vol defense that ranks No. 4 in field goal percentage defense (33.7). She has helped Tennessee hold 21 of 29 opponents to 36-percent shooting or lower, and 17 of 29 foes to 60 points or fewer.
While Key is fantastic at defending her player (such as Elizabeth Kitley, Va. Tech, 1-12 FG, 4 pts. / Olivia Nelson-Ododa, UConn, 2-4 FG, 6 pts. / Faustine Aifuwa, LSU, 2-5 FG, 6 points), she defends outside her area and also discourages or disrupts countless drives and shots from other players.
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Offensively, she averages 10.6 points per game and shoots 60 percent from the field, and her 8.4 rebound average also contributes heavily on both ends, with UT out-rebounding all but five opponents this season and doing so by double digits on 20 occasions. UT ranks No. 2 nationally in rebounds per game (48.28) and defensive rebounds per game (31.8), thanks to her efforts.
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In terms of team results, Key's play has been instrumental in helping Kellie Harper's squad to a 22-7 overall record, 11-5 SEC mark and a third-place league finish despite injuries that have impacted UT's roster.
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Players Mentioned
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WBB | Kim Caldwell Media Availability (9.23.25)
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WBB | Kim Caldwell Media Availability (8.28.25)
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