| UT Martin's Mitchell rebounds way onto All-OVC Second Team |
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Posted: Tuesday, March 10, 2009 1:56 pm
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Phyllisha Mitchell
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NASHVILLE – The University of Tennessee at Martin’s Phyllisha Mitchell was named to the All-Ohio Valley Conference Second Team during a Thursday night banquet at the conference tournament in Nashville. The All-OVC recognition is a first for Mitchell and caps off a stellar career at UT Martin where she etched her name into the program’s record books 12 times.
“Phyllisha is one of a kind and had great year to end her career on a high note,” said UT Martin head coach Tara Tansil-Gentry. “Her finishing in the top 10 in so many of the career records shows just how hard of a player she is going to be to replace on this team, but it is also a testament to how hard she played every night. “
Mitchell averaged a double-double on the year with 15 points and 12.8 rebounds per game to lead UT Martin in both categories. Mitchell’s rebounding efforts also ranked her as the NCAA’s third leading rebounder and helped set the program’s new single-season rebounding mark. She ended the season with 372 total boards, breaking the previous mark of 356 that was held by UT Martin Hall of Famer Mary Kate Long. In her career Mitchell pulled down 973 rebounds, making her the second leading all-time rebounder in the program’s history. She averaged 309 rebounds per season after pulling down only 47 in limited action as a freshman.
Against both Winthrop and Northwestern State, Mitchell pulled down a career-best 21 rebounds. Her rebounds against Winthrop at this year’s Xavier National City Invitational were enough to not only earn her all-tournament accolades but also set a new arena record at the Cintas Center in Cincinnati, that serves as the home to the nationally-ranked Xavier men’s and women’s basketball teams. Mitchell also earned all-tournament accolades at the Ole Miss Holiday Classic after her second 21-rebound showing against Northwestern State.
Mitchell ended her career as one of the top-10 scorers in the program’s history, finishing with 1,243 points to rank No. 7 all-time. She recorded a career-best 24 points against Eastern Kentucky on March 26, which was the same game she set the single-season rebounding record. In her four years Mitchell posted 33 double-doubles and scored 20 or more points on 12 different occasions.
Tansil-Gentry added, “Phyllisha was known for her rebounding and scoring around the league but she was also an excellent defender, which was reflected in her blocks and steals number going up this year. It was those aspects of her game that made her a truly complete player.”
Mitchell ranks among UT Martin’s all-time leaders in blocked shots with 33, free throws made (316), free throws attempted (429), field goals made (450), field goals attempted (1,011) and steals (156). In the single-season record books Mitchell holds four of the top-10 rebounding marks and her 70 steals this season rank No. 7 on the single-season list.
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