Per GoBearcats:
University of Cincinnati women’s basketball senior forward IImar’I Thomas (first name pronounced ee-MAR-ee) has been named a Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) All-America Regional Finalist.
Thomas was one of 10 players selected for Region 3, along with Kierstan Bell (Florida Gulf Coast), Charli Collier (Texas), Kysre Gondrezick (West Virginia), Vivian Gray (Texas Tech), Ashley Joens (Iowa State), Ayoka Lee (Kansas State), Natasha Mack (Oklahoma State), DiDi Richards (Baylor) and aLyssa Smith (Baylor).
In all, 52 players were selected among five regions across the nation. The selection committee will choose the 10-member Coaches’ All-America team from these 52 finalists. The 2021 WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches’ All-America team will be announced Saturday, Apr. 3.
Thomas received WBCA Honorable Mention All-America accolades last season.
The latest recognition from the WBCA salutes a standout 2020-21 season for Thomas that includes finalist consideration for national awards, top conference awards, numerous high-ranking NCAA and league statistical marks and a national single-game scoring record for this season.
NATIONAL AWARDS
Thomas was recently named one of five finalist for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award as well as a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award. Thomas is the first UC women’s basketball player selected as a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award since its inception in 2002.
CONFERENCE AWARDS
Thomas was named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year earlier this month. She received all 50 voting points from the league’s coaches to be the only conference player to earn unanimous First Team All-AAC honors for the second consecutive season.
Thomas 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).
LEAGUE AND NATIONAL RANKINGS
Thomas wrapped up her senior season averaging 23.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.2 blocks for the Bearcats.
Entering Wednesday, Thomas ranked among the nation’s Top 30 in eight categories for 2020-21, including minutes played per game (first at 39.43), points per game (ninth at 23.7), field goals made (ninth at 210), free throws made (ninth at 139), total points (10th at 569), total minutes played (16th at 946), free throws attempted (16th at 167) and field goal percentage (20th at .543).
The Oakland, California, native also ranked atop all AAC players in 10 national categories, the eight listed above, as well as free throw percentage (.832) and field goals attempted (387). She also ranked among the AAC’s Top 10 leaders in rebounds (sixth at 7.5), blocks (sixth at 1.2), assists (seventh at 3.3), offensive rebounds (seventh at 2.7), defensive rebounds (eighth at 4.8), and assist-to-turnover ratio (12th at 1.4).
AMAZING PERFORMANCES
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 feat earned Thomas national player of the week honors from the Unites States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA).
In all, Thomas 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 and 22 or more points in eight of UC’s last 10 games in 2020-21.
Thomas scored 32 points, missing only four total shots against Marquette on Dec. 10, making 9 of 11 field goals and 14 of 16 free throws. She tallied 34 points in the season opener against Northern Kentucky and scored 30 points each in both matchups with Houston.
MAKING HER MARK IN THE UC RECORD BOOK
The only player in school history to achieve at least 1,900 career points and 800 career rebounds, Thomas ranked among the program’s best in multiple career categories at season’s end, including field goal percentage (first at .581), blocks (second at 131), field goals made (second at 761), points (third at 1,925), rebounds (fourth at 873) and rebound average (tied for eighth at 7.1).
2021 WBCA NCAA DIVISION I COACHES’ ALL-AMERICA REGIONAL FINALISTS
Region 1
Player, InstitutionJanelle Bailey, North CarolinaLorela Cubaj, Georgie TechElissa Cunane, NC StateAnna DeWolfe, FordhamDana Evans, LouisvilleMorgan Jones, Florida StateLotta-Maj Lahtinen, Georgia TechTiana Mangakahia, SyracuseMaddy Westbeld, Notre Dame
Region 2
Player, InstitutionShakira Austin, MississippiAliyah Boston, South CarolinaZia Cooke, South CarolinaRennia Davis, TennesseeChelsea Dungee, ArkansasAnastasia Hayes, Middle Tennessee StateRhyne Howard, KentuckyRickea Jackson, Mississippi StateN’dea Jones, Texas A&MMicaela Kelly, Central MichiganQue Morrison, GeorgiaDestiny Slocum, ArkansasJenna Staiti, GeorgiaUnique Thompson, AuburnJasmine Walker, Alabama
Region 3
Player, Institution
Kierstan Bell, Florida Gulf Coast
Charli Collier, Texas
Kysre Gondrezick, West Virginia
Vivian Gray, Texas Tech
Ashley Joens, Iowa State
Ayoka Lee, Kansas State
Natasha Mack, Oklahoma State
DiDi Richards, Baylor
NaLyssa Smith, Baylor
IImar’I Thomas, Cincinnati
Region 4
Player, Institution
Grace Berger, Indiana
Paige Bueckers, Connecticut
Caitlin Clark, Iowa
Arella Guirantes, Rutgers
Naz Hillmon, Michigan
Selena Lott, Marquette
Diamond Miller, Maryland
Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Connecticut
Ashley Owusu, Maryland
Christyn Williams, Connecticut
Region 5
Player, Institution
Aleah Goodman, Oregon State
Mya Hollingshed, Colorado
Charlisse Leger-Walker, Washington State
Aari McDonald, Arizona
Michaela Onyenwere, UCLA
Charisma Osborne, UCLA
Myah Selland, South Dakota State
Kiana Williams, Stanford
