Ole Miss senior forward Tia Faleru added to her list of postseason accolades taking home first team AP All-SEC accolades it was announced on Tuesday. It is the second consecutive year the AP writers have honored Faleru as she was a first team selection last season.
Faleru, an Ozark, Alabama native, has taken her game to the next level in her senior campaign. The 6-1 forward was the lone SEC player averaging a double-double with 14.7 points per game and 10.3 rebounds per game and is the first player to lead the league in rebounding in back-to-back years since LSU’s Sylvia Fowles led the SEC three straight years (2006-07-08). Additionally, she is the first to average double-figure rebounds since Georgia’s Porsha Phillips in 2011 and the first to average a double-double since 2011. Faleru is a walking double-double and has recorded an SEC-best 13 double-doubles on the year, giving her 33 career double-doubles, placing her fifth all-time at Ole Miss and making her one of just five players to record 30+ double-doubles in a career. On the year, Faleru is the lone SEC player to rank in the top five in points (14.7) rebounds (10.3) and field goal percentage (.487). Faleru has led her team to the best season in the last five years and with a 17-13, 7-9 SEC record helped the Rebels to a WNIT berth, the first since 2009-10. She is also projected as a late first to early second round WNBA draft pick in the upcoming draft in April and according to many mock draft boards is the 29th best player available.
Ole Miss opens 2015 postseason WNIT actionon Wednesday when they take on UT Martin at Tad Smith Coliseum. Tickets will be $6 for the general public for the first four rounds and will increase to $7 for the semifinals and finals should Ole Miss host those rounds. Ole Miss students will get in for free with their Ole Miss student ID for the first two rounds, while student tickets for the third round will be $4. Student tickets will be $5 for the semifinals and finals should Ole Miss host those rounds.
Complete Listing of All-SEC Selections
FIRST TEAM
u-Tia Faleru, Mississippi, F, 6-1, Sr.
Tiffany Mitchell, South Carolina, G, 5-9, Jr.
Makayla Epps, Kentucky, G, 5-10, So.
A’ja Wilson, South Carolina, F, 6-5, Fr.
Courtney Walker, Texas A&M, G, 5-8, Jr.
SECOND TEAM
Isabelle Harrison, Tennessee, C, 6-3, Sr.
Victoria Vivians, Mississippi State, F
Danielle Ballard, LSU, G, 5-9, Jr.
Cierra Burdick, Tennessee, F, 6-2, Sr.
t-Alaina Coates, South Carolina, C, 6-4, So.
t-Jessica Jackson, Arkansas, F, 6-3, So.
t-Aleighsa Welch, South Carolina, F, 6-0, Sr.
HONORABLE MENTION
Jordan Frericks, Missouri, F, 6-1, So.
Jennifer O’Neill, Kentucky, G, 5-6, Sr.
Courtney Williams, Texas A&M, F, 6-1, Jr.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Tiffany Mitchell, South Carolina
COACH OF THE YEAR
Vic Schaefer, Mississippi State
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
A’ja Wilson, South Carolina
(u-unanimous choice to first team; t-tied for final spot on second team)
