Per GoBearcats:
University of Cincinnati senior forward IImar’I Thomas (Oakland, Calif./Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep) has been named one of five finalists for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year award announced by Her Hoops Stats on Wednesday.
In November, the 25 members of the preseason watch list were announced and the 15 members of the midseason watch list were announced in January. The 10 semifinalists were announced in early February and the winner will be announced on March 31.
Thomas, whose senior season ended Tuesday in the quarterfinals of the American Athletic Conference Championships, was named earlier this week as the AAC Player of the Year and the only player in the league tabbed a unanimous First Team selection. She became the first player in school history to earn first team all-conference honors three times (2019-21) and the first Bearcat named conference player of the year since Cheryl Cook (Metro Conference, 1984 and 1985).
Thomas finished 2020-21 averaging 23.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.2 blocks for the Bearcats, who ended their season 8-16 overall and 6-12 in The American. She scored 30 or more points six times and 20 or more points on 19 occasions this season. She scored 23 or more points in each of UC’s first nine games of the season. She finished the season scoring 22 or more points in eight of UC’s last 10 games.
Thomas entered the AAC Championship ranked among the nation’s Top 30 in nine categories for 2020-21, including minutes played per game (second at 39.37), field goals made (fourth at 195), total points (sixth at 526), points per game (seventh at 23.9), free throws made (seventh at 126), total minutes played (eighth at 866), free throws attempted (14th at 154), field goal percentage (22nd at .545) and field goals attempted (29th at 358).
The Oakland, California, native ranked atop all AAC players in 10 national categories, the nine listed above, as well as free throw percentage (81.8). She also ranked among the AAC’s Top 10 leaders in rebounds (sixth at 7.5), offensive rebounds (sixth at 2.6), defensive rebounds (seventh at 4.8), assists (seventh at 3.5), blocks (ninth at 1.1) and assist-to-turnover ratio (10th at 1.5).
Thomas set the UC women’s basketball record and the AAC record for most points in a game when she poured in 51 points to go with 12 rebounds at East Carolina on Feb. 24. She went 20 of 27 from the field and 11 of 13 from the free-throw line. The effort still stands as the most points in a Division I men’s or women’s basketball game this season. She joined Oscar Robertson as the only two player in UC history to score 50 or points in a game. Robertson accomplished the feat six times, the last coming via a school-record 62-point performance against North Texas in 1960.
The only player in school history to achieve at least 1,900 career points and 800 career rebounds, Thomas ranks among the program’s best in multiple career categories, including field goal percentage (first at .581), blocks (second at 131), field goals made (second at 761), points (third at 1,925), rebounds (third at 873) and rebound average (tied for eighth at 7.1).
2021 BECKY HAMMON PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
IImar’I Thomas, Cincinnati, F, Sr.
Kierstan Bell, FGCU, G, So.
Blanca Millan, Maine, G, R-Sr.
Hannah Sjerven, South Dakota, C, Sr.
Myah Selland, South Dakota St., F, R-Jr.
