April 3, 2016
COLUMBIA, S.C. ââ’¬” South Carolina senior guard Tiffany Mitchell and sophomore forward A’ja Wilson added to their All-America honors with recognition as such by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), the organization announced today. The two Gamecocks the only SEC entries on the 10-player list, and South Carolina is one of just two schools with multiple honorees.
Mitchell shook off a slow start to her senior season by dominating in SEC play, ranking among the league’s top 11 in five categories during conference play ââ’¬” fifth in scoring (15.6) ppg, second in free throw percentage (.833), sixth in 3-pointers made per game (1.7), eighth in steals (1.9) and 11th in assists (2.8). One of three league players to appear in the top 11 in scoring, assists and steals, she is the only one of the group to add 3-point shooting status to her diverse skill set. Mitchell posted seven 20-point games among her 31 double-digit scoring outings this season, leading the team in scoring 13 times and in assists 12 times. The SEC Tournament MVP, she led the Gamecocks in postseason scoring, averaging 14.8 points over South Carolina’s six games in the SEC and NCAA Tournaments, also pacing the team in assists (3.2 per game) and finishing second in steals (2.0 per game) over the stretch.
Wilson is a consensus first-team All-American, capturing the honors from the Associated Press, ESPN, the WBCA and now the USBWA. She is a finalist for all three national player of the year awards ââ’¬” Naismith Trophy (one of four finalists), the Wooden Award (one of five) and the Wade Trophy (one of 15). After a freshman season that saw her become the first Gamecock freshman to capture All-America honors (third team, AP), Wilson lifted her game as a sophomore. Breaking the school record with 103 blocked shots this season, she lifted her scoring average from 13.1 points in 2014-15 to 16.1 this season and her rebounding averages grew from 6.6 to 8.7 over the season. Wilson also handed out 1.3 assists per game as she and junior center Alaina Coates perfected the high-low action that foiled opponents all season.
South Carolina completed its 2015-16 season with a 33-2 record, the program’s fifth-straight 25-win season and second-consecutive 30-win campaign. The Gamecocks, ranked No. 3/2 entering the postseason, won their third SEC regular-season title in a row, posting just the second 16-0 record in conference history, and repeated as SEC Tournament champions.
USBWA All-America Team
Rachel Banham, Sr., G, Minnesota
Nina Davis, Jr., F, Baylor
Moriah Jefferson, Sr., G, UConn
Kelsey Mitchell, So., G, Ohio State
Tiffany Mitchell, Sr., G South Carolina
Kelsey Plum, Jr., G, Washington
Breanna Stewart, Sr., F, UConn
Brianna Turner, So., F, Notre Dame
Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Jr., G, Maryland
A’ja Wilson, So., F, South Carolina
