The University of Mississippi Athletics
Thomas Named To All-SEC First Team By League Coaches
3/3/2009 | Women's Basketball
She becomes the 11th Rebel in school history to earn All-SEC first team plaudits and is the first since former Ole Miss All-American Armintie Price earned the distinction in 2007.
Thomas enters this week’s SEC Tournament tied for third in the SEC with 15.4 points per game and has scored in double figures in 24 of Ole Miss’ 29 games this season. During conference play, Thomas managed to increase her scoring output despite facing tougher competition. She averaged 18.1 points per game against SEC teams and ranked third in the conference in that category.
One of only two Rebels to start every game this season, Thomas produced eight games this year in which she scored at least 20 points and was one of only four players in the conference to accomplish that feat.
“I am extremely happy for Bianca because she is most deserving of this award,” Ole Miss head coach Renee Ladner said. “Through hard work and dedication, she has emerged as one of our best offensive players. She carried us on her back all season and was without question one of the best players in the SEC this year.”
Thomas turned in one of her best performances Feb. 5 at No. 4 Auburn by scoring a career-high 28 points to put Ole Miss in position of a near upset of the Tigers. She scored 14 straight points over a span of 7:20 during the second half to help the Rebels climb within one point after trailing by as many as 12 points.
She poured in 25 points Jan. 11 at
In Ole Miss’ upset win over Vanderbilt Feb. 22, Thomas hit back-to-back-to-back three-pointers to open the second half to turn a three-point deficit into a six-point lead. The Rebels would use that momentum to earn a thrilling 71-69 victory over the Commodores for the team’s first win over a ranked opponent in over a year.
She ended the regular season with 60 three-pointers to rank fourth at Ole Miss for the most three-pointers made in a single season. She needs just six more treys to become the school’s all-time leader.
“It’s such an honor to be selected amongst the best players in the SEC,” Thomas said. “We all play in the toughest conference in the country and to be named to the All-SEC first team means so much to me. I worked really hard during the off-season to improve my game and become a complete player, but I never expected I would earn a spot on the All-SEC first team.”
Not only was Thomas one of the best shooters in conference from the field as evident by her 40.6 shooting percentage, but she was also nearly automatic from the free throw line. She led the SEC and ranked 35th in the nation in free throw percentage by making 84.4 percent of her shots from the charity stripe.
Thomas and Ole Miss return to action Thursday afternoon at noon when the No. 9 seed Rebels take on eighth-seeded
First Team All-SEC Second Team All- SEC
Whitney Boddie Auburn Ceira Ricketts
DeWanna Bonner Auburn Ashley Houts -
Sha Brooks
Marshae Dotson
Allison Hightower LSU Eleia Roddy -
Bianca Thomas Ole Miss Angie Bjorklund -
Alexis Rack
Christina Wirth Vanderbilt Merideth Marsh Vanderbilt
Jennifer Risper Vanderbilt
All-Freshman Team All-Defensive Team
Ericka Russell
Lyndsay Harris
Ceira Ricketts
Trumae Lucas
LaSondra Barrett LSU Jennifer Risper - Vanderbilt
Lakeisha Sutton
Shekinna Stricklen
Glory Johnson
Coach Of The Year Defensive Player of the Year
Nell Fortner Auburn Jennifer Risper - Vanderbilt
Player of the Year 6th Woman of the Year
DeWanna Bonner Auburn Charity Ford -
Freshman of the Year Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Ceira Ricketts
LaSondra Barrett - LSU
