March 23, 2012
ATLANTA -
Sophomore Alyssa Thomas of the Maryland women's basketball team is one of 12 finalists for the State Farm Wade Trophy, announced Friday by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association. The Wade Trophy is awarded to the nation's top Division I collegiate player.
Thomas, the 2012 ACC Player of the Year, leads the ACC in scoring with 17.1 points per game and is among the best in the league with 8.0 rebounds per game, assists (3.2), free throw percentage (80.5) and defensive rebounds (5.5).
The 11 other finalists are Elena Delle Donne (Delaware), Skylar Diggins (Notre Dame), Brittney Griner (Baylor), Shenise Johnson (Miami), Anna Martin (DePaul), A'dia Mathies (Kentucky), Chiney Ogwumike (Stanford), Nneka Ogwumike (Stanford), Samantha Prahalis (Ohio State), Odyssey Sims (Baylor) and Julie Wojta (Green Bay).
Thomas is just the second underclassman ever to be named ACC Player of the Year. She scored a career-high 29 points in the ACC title game to lead Maryland to its 10th league championship. She was named Tournament MVP and is only the seventh player, and first underclassman, to be named league Player of the Year and Tournament MVP in the same season.
The candidates were selected by a vote of committee members composed of leading basketball coaches, journalists and administrators. The committee will select the winner of The State Farm Wade Trophy from the 10-member NCAA Division I State Farm Coaches' All-America Team. The winner will be announced on during the WBCA Awards Show, which will be held a Monday, April 2, in Denver in conjunction with the NCAA® Women's Final Four®.
The second-seeded Maryland women's basketball team will play the defending national champion, third-seeded Texas A&M Sunday at noon at the PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C. in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament.
For tickets to Sunday's game, log onto umterps.com or call 1-800-IM-A-TERP. The Terps-Aggies game will be shown on ESPN and online at ESPN3.com.
This will be the first meeting between Maryland (30-4) and Texas A&M (24-10). The winner of Sunday's game will advance to play either top-seeded Notre Dame or fifth-seeded St. Bonaventure Tuesday at 9 p.m. in the Elite Eight.
Most recently, the Terps beat the No. 7 seed Louisville, 72-68, Monday in the NCAA Second Round in College Park. Laurin Mincy led the Terrapins with 24 points, while Tianna Hawkins added 15 points and 14 rebounds.
Frese and the Terps have won their last nine straight games and 12 of their last 13 heading into Sunday's game. The Terrapins are 30-18 (.625) all-time in NCAA Tournament games. Frese owns an NCAA Tournament record of 19-7 (.731) and 18-6 (.750) at Maryland. Frese has led the Terps to four Sweet Sixteens, three Elite Eights and the 2006 national championship.
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