University of Washington guard Matisse Thybulle (4) steals the ball in the first half. The Washington Huskies played the Colorado Buffaloes in a NCAA basketball game at Her Edmundson Pavilion in Seattle, Wash., on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. Joshua Bessex
Washington senior Matisse Thybulle has been named the 2018-19 recipient of the Lefty Driesell Award, which is given annually to the nation’s top defensive player.
Thybulle led the country with 3.5 steals per game and was 18th in blocks per game with 2.3. One of just three players to average 2.0 steals and 2.0 blocks in a season, he also ranked in the top 10 in defensive wins shares and defensive plus-minus.