The University of Mississippi Athletics
Faleru Named to Preseason All-SEC Second Team
11/5/2014 | Women's Basketball
SEC Release
BIRMINGHAM - Ole Miss senior forward Tia Faleru (Ozark, Ala.) earned a spot on the All-SEC second team by a vote of the leagues' coaches it was announced by the Southeastern Conference on Wednesday.
Faleru earns a spot on the preseason all-conference squad for the second consecutive year, after taking second team honors last season. Faleru, who was a first team AP All-SEC selection last season, enters the 2014-15 campaign as the SEC's top returning scorer and rebounder after averaging 16.4 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.
The Alabama native had a phenomenal junior campaign, which saw her named a finalist for the C Spire Gillom Trophy presented to the best player in Mississippi and earn co-SEC Player of the Week for her efforts against Southeastern Louisiana and Tennessee State. Faleru recorded an SEC-best 15 double-doubles and led the Rebels in rebounding on 22 occasions, hitting the double-figure mark 16 times. A prolific scorer, Faleru scored in double figures in 23 games and enters her senior season 41 points shy of her 1,000th point. She scored a career-best 31 points against Kentucky and scored 20 or more points in 10 games. Faleru enters her senior campaign with 20 career double-doubles, ranking her eighth all-time in school history.
The SEC also released the coaches' poll and Player of the Year projections on Wednesday with South Carolina predicted to win the league in 2015. Points were compiled on a 13-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis for order of prediction, while each player received two points for a first-team vote and one point for a second-team vote. Coaches do not vote for their own team or players.
South Carolina's Tiffany Mitchell was voted as SEC Women's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year. Mitchell's teammate Aleighsa Welch, Tennessee's Isabelle Harrison and Texas A&M's Courtney Walker also received votes.
Fans can get their first look at the 2014-15 Ole Miss women's basketball squad on Friday, Nov. 7 when they take on Christian Brothers in exhibition action starting at 5 p.m. The Rebels open regular-season action on Nov. 14 when they take on Grambling in the annual School Kids game. Tipoff is at 11 a.m. at the Tad Smith Coliseum.
Women's basketball season tickets are available for purchase and are just $50. For additional ticket information, go to OleMissTix.com or call the Ole Miss Ticket Office at 1-888-REB-TKTS (732-8587.)
For all Ole Miss women's basketball news and information, go to OleMissSports.com, and follow the Rebels on Twitter @OleMissWBB, Facebook at Ole Miss WBB and on instagram at OleMissWBB. Fans can also follow Ole Miss women's basketball coach Matt Insell on Twitter @minsell.
SEC Preseason Coaches' Predictions
Order of Finish
1. South Carolina - 169
2. Tennessee - 155
3. Texas A&M - 144
4. Kentucky - 135
5. Georgia - 108
6. Vanderbilt - 107
7. LSU - 94
8. Mississippi State - 87
9. Florida - 86
10. Auburn - 53
11. Missouri - 48
12. Arkansas - 40
13. Alabama - 25
14. Ole Miss - 23
Player of the Year
Tiffany Mitchell, South Carolina
First Team All-SEC
Jessica Jackson, Arkansas
Jennifer O'Neill, Kentucky
Danielle Ballard, LSU
Martha Alwal, Mississippi State
Alaina Coates, South Carolina
Tiffany Mitchell, South Carolina
Aleighsa Welch, South Carolina
Bashaara Graves, Tennessee
Isabelle Harrison, Tennessee
Courtney Walker, Texas A&M
Second Team All-SEC
Kayla Lewis, Florida
Shacobie Barbee, Georgia
Bria Goss, Kentucky
Tia Faleru, Ole Miss
Morgan Eye, Missouri
Jordan Jones, Texas A&M
Courtney Williams, Texas A&M
Rebekah Dahlman, Vanderbilt
