KNOXVILLE – Tennessee’s Rennia Davis was named second-team All-Southeastern Conference by both The Associated Press and the league’s coaches on Tuesday.
The 6-foot-2 sophomore – who was asked to be a leader of a young team – has averaged 14.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game for the 18-11 Lady Volunteers, who face LSU on Thursday in the SEC tournament second round. The winners will face top-seeded Mississippi State in the quarterfinals Friday.
Davis shot 87 percent in the regular season at the free-throw line – 89.6 percent in 16 SEC games – had 23 double-digit scoring performances and topped 20 points on five occasions. She had a season-best 29-point performance against Mississippi State on Feb. 10.
She averaged 14.9 points and 8.4 rebounds in league play, with five of her eight double-doubles coming against SEC competition.
“Rennia has been someone for us that we’ve had to go to,” Tennessee coach Holly Warlick said Tuesday. “She’s had a lot of pressure on her. She has had an up and down season, but we’re really proud of her for handling a lot of the adversity, and then continuing to step up.
“She has worked at her craft – she’s in the gym all the time – and when you do that and put in the time like Rennia has done, great things are going to happen. This award is a reflection of her putting in the time, and I’m really proud of her.”
In addition, Tennessee’s Zaay Green was selected to the eight-player all-freshman team by the coaches. She has started 24 of 29 games in her first season and averaged 10.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steals in 27.2 minutes per contest. She has scored in double figures 15 times and ranks second on the team in assists, third in rebounding and blocks and fourth in scoring, steals and 3-pointers.
She ranked second among SEC freshmen in scoring and rebounding, third in assists and steals and sixth in blocks and was a two-time SEC freshman of the week.
Former Bradley Central High School standout Rhyne Howard of Kentucky was selected the league’s freshman of the year. She averaged 16.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.2 steals while shooting 44 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range. The Wildcats are 24-6 and ranked 13th in the country.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3 or at Facebook.com/VolsUpdate.