Feb. 27, 2018
AUBURN, Ala. ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" Auburn freshman Unique Thompson and sophomore Daisa Alexander were honored by the Southeastern Conference as the league announced its annual women's basketball awards Tuesday.
Thompson was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team, and Alexander earned a spot on the SEC All-Defensive Team.
Thompson, a freshman from Theodore, Ala., was the top freshman rebounder in the SEC, averaging 8.7 rebounds per game. Her 225 rebounds this season are the most by an Auburn freshman since the 1985-86 season. She finished the regular-season with seven double-doubles, tying the Auburn freshman record, and she scored 11.8 points per game to rank fourth among the league's rookies.
Alexander, a sophomore from Decatur, Ga., finished the regular season as the SEC's leader in steals. She enters the SEC Tournament with 74 steals this season (2.6/game). She also averaged 2.6 steals in conference games. Alexander is Auburn's second-leading scorer with 14.1 points per game, including 15.1 per game in conference play.
Thompson is Auburn's 16th all-time selection to the SEC All-Freshman team, and Alexander is the fifth Auburn selection to the All-Defensive team.
First-team and second-team All-SEC honorees, All-Freshman team, All-Defensive team, along with Player, Coach and Freshman, Defensive Player, 6th Player and Scholar-Athlete of the Year were chosen by the league's 14 coaches.
Auburn begins SEC Tournament play Thursday as the 10th-seeded Tigers face seventh-seeded Tennessee. Game time is 6 p.m. CT at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.
2018 SEC Women's Basketball Awards
First Team All-SEC
Raigyne Louis, LSU
Teaira McCowan, Mississippi State
Victoria Vivians, Mississippi State
Sophie Cunningham, Missouri
A'ja Wilson, South Carolina
Jaime Nared, Tennessee
Mercedes Russell, Tennessee
Chennedy Carter, Texas A&M
Second Team All-SEC
Caliya Robinson, Georgia
Mackenzie Engram, Georgia
Chloe Jackson, LSU
Maci Morris, Kentucky
Morgan William, Mississippi State
Jordan Frericks, Missouri
Tyasha Harris, South Carolina
Khaalia Hillsman, Texas A&M
All-Freshman Team
Unique Thompson, Auburn
Que Morrison, Georgia
Promise Taylor, Ole Miss
Bianca Jackson, South Carolina
Rennia Davis, Tennessee
Evina Westbrook, Tennessee
Chennedy Carter, Texas A&M
Chelsie Hall, Vanderbilt
All-Defensive Team
Daisa Alexander, Auburn
Caliya Robinson, Georgia
Taylor Murray, Kentucky
Raigyne Louis, LSU
A'ja Wilson, South Carolina
Blair Schaefer, Mississippi State
Teaira McCowan, Mississippi State
Coach of the Year: Vic Schaefer, Mississippi State
Player of the Year: A'ja Wilson, South Carolina
Freshman of the Year: Chennedy Carter, Texas A&M
Defensive Players of the Year: Teaira McCowan, Mississippi State & A'ja Wilson, South Carolina
6th Woman of the Year: Anastasia Hayes, Tennessee
Scholar-Athletes of the Year: Blair Schaefer, Mississippi State; Haley Clark, Georgia; Alyssa Rice, Kentucky