Mitchell Named Wooden Award Finalist

March 30, 2015

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina junior guard Tiffany Mitchell became South Carolina’s first Wooden Award finalist, the Los Angeles Athletic Club announced Monday night on ESPNU. After being on the final ballot last season, Mitchell will join the other four finalists in Los Angeles for the first-ever College Basketball Awards Presented by Wendy’s program on Fri., April 10 at 8 p.m. (ET) on ESPN2.

Mitchell repeated as SEC Player of the Year this season as voted by the league’s coaches, adding the honor in the Associated Press list this season. A versatile guard, she is the only player the conference who completed the entire season and ranked in the top 15 in scoring (6th, 14.5 ppg), assists (10th, 2.9 apg) and steals (11th, 1.8 spg). Mitchell has led the team in scoring a team-high 17 times and has scored in double figures 28 times in 36 games this season. Even with so much focus on stopping her, the nation’s best teams have not succeeded as she averages 15.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists in the Gamecocks’ 12 games against nationally ranked opponents, during which they are 10-2 this season.

Mitchell’s production has hit another level in NCAA Tournament action as her 15.0 points and 5.0 assists per game have powered the Gamecocks into their first-ever NCAA Women’s Final Four. With South Carolina trailing by two in the final three minutes of its first NCAA Elite Eight appearance, Mitchell took over – assisting on Aleighsa Welch’s game-tying basket, hitting a layup, draining a 3-pointer, grabbing her own offensive rebound and hitting two free throws that put the Gamecocks up by five with 27 seconds remaining. Her effort against No. 15/12 North Carolina in the Sweet 16 and No. 7/7 Florida State in the Elite Eight, which included a team-high five assists and six rebounds, earned her a spot on the NCAA Greensboro Regional All-Tournament Team.

South Carolina’s season continues this weekend in the national semifinals against No. 2/2 Notre Dame on Sun., April 5, at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla. Game time for semifinals will be announced later tonight.