Ole Miss senior forward Tia Faleru has been named one of three finalist for the 2015 CSpire Gillom Trophy it was announced on Monday by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. This is the second consecutive season Faleru has been selected as a finalist for the award, which is presented to the top female collegiate women’s basketball player in Mississippi. Mississippi State’s Victoria Vivians and Southern Miss’ Tamara Jones join Faleru as finalists for the trophy.
The award is named after former Ole Miss great Peggie Gillom-Granderson. Gillom’s name is etched in the Ole Miss record books as she still stands as Ole Miss’ top scorer and rebounder. Gillom also served as an associate head coach for seven years at Ole Miss and spent time as an Olympic and WNBA coach.
Faleru, an Ozark, Alabama native, has taken her game to the next level in her senior campaign. The 6-1 forward is the lone SEC player averaging a double-double with 14.6 points per game and 10.5 rebounds per game and is vying to become the first player to lead the league in rebounding in back-to-back years since LSU’s Sylvia Fowles led the SEC three straight years (2006-07-08). Additionally, she will become the first to average double-figure rebounds since Georgia’s Porsha Phillips in 2011. Faleru is a walking double-double and has recorded an SEC-best 13 double-doubles on the year, giving her 33 career double-doubles, placing her fifth all-time at Ole Miss and making her one of just five players to record 30+ double-doubles in a career.
On the year, Faleru is the lone SEC player to rank in the top five in points (14.7) rebounds (10.5) and field goal percentage (.484). Faleru has led her team to the best season in the last five years and with a 17-12, 7-9 SEC record has assured the Rebels of a winning record and a postseason berth for the first time since 2009-10.
A statewide panel of media who cover college basketball in the state of Mississippi selected the finalists. The trophy will be presented at a March 9 luncheon at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. The same media will now vote from among the finalists and account for 90 percent of the final voting. Fan voting, conducted by C Spire, will account for a weighted 10 percent of the final voting. Fan voting will begin Tuesday at 8 a.m. Fans can vote here. For ticket information call 601 982-8264.
The Rebels will head to the SEC Tournament this week. Ole Miss earned the No. 8 seed for the 2015 SEC Tournament held at the Verizon Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. Ole Miss will open tournament action on Thursday at Noon against No. 9 Arkansas.
For ticket information go to OleMissTix.com or call the Ole Miss Ticket Office at 1-888-REB-TKTS (732-8587). For all Ole Miss women’s basketball news and information, go to OleMissSports.com, and follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissWBB and on Facebook at Ole Miss Women’s Basketball. Fans can also follow Ole Miss women’s basketball head coach Matt Insell on Twitter at @minsell.
