CINCINNATI - The American Athletic Conference has announced its annual awards for the 2019-20 women's basketball season with three members of the University of Cincinnati program being recognized in a vote of the conference coaches. Senior Angel Rizor has been selected as the 2020 AAC Most Improved Player of the Year and a member of the AAC All-Conference Third Team while IImar'I Thomas was a unanimous selection to the AAC All-Conference First Team and Antoinette Miller selected to the AAC All-Conference Second Team.
All three Bearcats played vital roles in the Bearcats' success this year as each not only joined the 1,000 point club at UC, but also helped the team to a runner-up finish in the league standings, the best finish for UC since joining the AAC and the second-best conference showing in program history. Each also were mainstays in the starting lineup of a squad that finished the regular season with a 20-9 overall record (11-5 AAC) to give UC back-to-back 20 win seasons for the first time since 2003.
// BY THE NUMBERS
Here is how UC's awards earned this year stack up historically for the program:
• The most improved award for Rizor is her first postseason accolade from the conference (as is her third-team selection) and is the first most improved honor earned in program history
• With the most improved honor, the Bearcats have earned one major award from the AAC for the fourth year in a row following Florence Sifa being named the 2019 Newcomer of the Year, Thomas earning the 2018 Freshman of the Year, and Shanice Johnson being named the 2017 Newcomer of the Year
• The three all-conference selections mark the first time UC has earned three awards in the same season since 2003 when Valerie King, Debbie Merrill and K.B. Sharp all were named to the Conference USA First Team
• Additionally, the three honors mark just the third time UC has had three award winners in the same season in program history with King (1st), Merrill (2nd) and Sharp (3rd) also being honored in 2002
• Thomas was named to the first team for the second year in a row to become just the third UC player to accomplish that feat, joining King (2002 & 2003) and Madinah Slaise (1999 and 2000)
// ON THE RIZOR
In her senior season, Rizor not only eclipsed 1,000 points for her career, she also improved upon every major statistically category from her junior campaign. Overall, she raised her scoring average by 2.7 points per game to 11.9; added 0.3 rebounds per game (6.9) and dished out 1.0 more assists per contest (2.9) over last year. She also added 1.0 more steals (1.6) and blocked 0.5 more shots (0.8) per game this year while averaging 1.8 more minutes playing time. Where she really made a difference, however, came in AAC games as she improved her scoring by 2.9 points per game to average 12.8 per contest, the 13th-highest average this year across the league. All told, Rizor reached double-digit scoring 17 times this year with 12 of those instances coming in her 16 AAC games, including a career-high-tying 20 points at Houston. She also recorded four double-doubles during the season, two of which game against league foes, after entering the season with just one double-double to her credit in her first three years with the program.
// THOMAS TOUGH
Thomas was not only the top scorer for the Bearcats all season, she also ranked among the best in the entire conference as she averaged 18.7 points per game overall and 18.3 in AAC contests, which rank second and third, respectively. To reach those heights, the junior connected on a league-best 59.4% of her shots overall and a huge 61.4% from the floor in league action. Additionally, she ranked eighth in the AAC in both rebounds per game (8.0) and blocks (1.0). For the year, she scored in double figures in 23 of the team's 29 games while recording half of her career double-doubles (eight on the season) as well. She not only hit double figures, she did so in style as she scored 20 or more points in 10 games and poured in 30 or more twice while nearly doubling that total as she finished two games with 29. Heading into the AAC tournament this weekend, Thomas currently ranks highly in several categories on the national scene, including sixth in made field goals (215), 12th in field goal percentage (59.4), 24th in total points (542) and 29th in points per game (18.7).
// MIGHTY MILLER
Two years ago, Miller finished her sophomore season averaging 5.6 points per game. Since then, she has evolved into one of the top players in the league and a leader on the floor as the two-time captain earned AAC All-Conference Second Team honors for the second year in a row to join Thomas as the only two-time honorees in program history during the AAC era. This year, Miller's offense has continued to climb as she ended the regular season ranks sixth in the AAC with 15.8 points per game - and was fifth at 17.3 in league games - while dishing out 4.2 assists per game (4th overall). She also took care of the ball as well as the point guard ranks third in the league with a 1.7 assist-to-turnover ratio. The 28th member of the 1,000 point club, Miller hit for 20 or more points in game seven times during the season, with five of those coming in AAC play, including two in her last four games. During the AAC slate, she broke her career-highs in points (27), assists (8) and steals (8) while leading the team in assists 16 times on the year.
// UP NEXT
As the #3 seed in this week's American Women's Basketball Championship at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., the Bearcats received a bye in the quarterfinals where they await the winner of Friday's first-round game between #6 SMU and #11 Memphis. The Bearcats will play in the final quarterfinal Saturday with a scheduled tip time of 8 p.m. live on ESPN3.
// GET CONNECTED
Stay up to date with the team by following the Bearcats on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at @GoBearcatsWBB.
// 2019-20 AAC POSTSEASON AWARDS
Most Improved Player of the Year
Angel Rizor
AAC All-Conference Selections
IImar'I Thomas • First Team (unanimous)
Antoinette Miller • Second Team
Angel Rizor • Third Team
Thomas, Miller & Rizor Earn AAC All-Conference Accolades
The American Athletic Conference has announced its annual awards for the 2019-20 women's basketball season with three members of the University of Cincinnati program being recognized in a vote of the conference coaches.
