Shelby Gibson wins second SEC Freshman of the Week Award
After the Ole Miss Women’s Basketball team defeated Florida, 84-75, on the road Monday night, freshman forward Shelby Gibson picked up her second Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week honor for the 2016 season, the league announced on Tuesday.
Gibson’s initial SEC Freshman of the Week award came in the first week of January after Ole Miss defeated Mississippi Valley State and Arkansas. In those two games, the 6-foot-3 newcomer averaged 14 points and six rebounds. Gibson is the first player for Ole Miss head coach Matt Insell to win the award twice, and she is the first Rebel to earn the honor twice since Alliesha Easley won the award two times as a freshman during the 2006-07 season.
Gibson crucial in wins over Georgia and Florida
Gibson, shown here against Georgia, scored 12 points in the win over the Bulldogs. (Photo credit: Josh McCoy, Ole Miss Athletics)
In Ole Miss’ last two games, Gibson has played a huge role in the team’s offense. In the victory over Georgia, the Murfreesboro, Tenn. native provided 12 points and two rebounds in 22 minutes of action.
On Monday night against the Gators, Gibson started in the place of senior forward Taylor Manuel and was one of three Ole Miss players who scored in double figures, finishing the night with 16 points and six rebounds.
Gibson is currently the team’s top scoring freshman (7.5 points per game) and is averaging 13.5 points in the team’s last three games. Earlier this season, Gibson became the first Rebels player since current Coordinator of Player Engagement Armintie Herrington to open a season with back-to-back games in double figures, when she posted 14 against Southeastern Louisiana and 10 points against Lipscomb.
Next Up:
Ole Miss (15-8, 4-6 SEC) is currently on a two-game winning streak, and its streak will be tested Thursday night (6:00 p.m. CT, SECN+) inside The Pavilion against LSU. The Tigers (16-7, 5-5), led by junior guard Raigyne Moncrief (15.3 ppg), are coming off a 48-41 home victory over Alabama. Moncrief led LSU with 19 points in the win.
(Feature image credit: Josh McCoy, Ole Miss Athletics)
Courtney Smith
Courtney is from Memphis and received his Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts from the University of Memphis in May of 2014. He began his journalism career covering the Memphis Tigers Men's basketball team, which landed him an intern position on 730 Yahoo Sports Radio and a position with Rivals.com. A freelance writer for the Associated Press, Courtney is also a member of The Rebel Walk team and reports regularly on Ole Miss football and basketball. Courtney, the father of a six-year old girl named Soniyah, prefers to cover NCAA basketball and football, but is happy to report on any other sport that comes his way.
