Kentucky’s Epps, Akhator earn All-America recognition
University of Kentucky seniors Evelyn Akhator and Makayla Epps earned honorable mention recognition on the 2016-17 Women’s All-America Basketball Team named by The Associated Press on Monday.
Akhator, a 6-foot-3 forward from Lagos, Nigeria, and Epps, a 5-10 guard from Lebanon, Ky., led the Wildcats to a 22-11 season that ended in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. UK finished in a tie for third place in the Southeastern Conference during the regular season and reached the semifinals of the conference tournament.
Akhator averaged a double-double for the season, with 15.9 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. Epps led the Wildcats in scoring (17.7) and also averaged 4.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists. Epps received one vote for the AP All-America first team.
Both players are projected to be chosen in the WNBA Draft to be held April 14.
Asia Durr, a 5-10 sophomore guard from the University of Louisville, also received honorable mention. Durr led the Cardinals, who reached the NCAA Sweet 16, with 19.2 points per game this season.
The AP first team included Kelsey Plum of Washington, A’ja Wilson of South Carolina, Katie Lou Samuelson and Napheesa Collier of UConn and Brionna Jones of Maryland.
The third team also included a player from the SEC, Victoria Vivians of Mississippi State.
SEC players to earn honorable mention in addition to Epps and Akhator were Alaina Coates of South Carolina, Sophie Cunningham of Missouri, Mercedes Russell of Tennessee and Morgan William of Mississippi State.
2016-17 AP Women’s All-America Teams
Statistics through March 12
First Team
Kelsey Plum, Washington, 5-8, senior, Poway, Calif., 31.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 4.7 apg, 53.3 fg pct, 42.9 3-pt fg pct, 88.8 ft pct, 37.1 minutes (33 first-place votes, 165 points)
A’ja Wilson, South Carolina, 6-5, junior, Hopkins, S.C., 17.6 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 58.7 fg pct, 2.6 blocks (27, 153)
Katie Lou Samuelson, UConn, 6-3, sophomore, Huntington Beach, Calif., 21.0 ppg, 43.7 3-pt fg pct, 84.5 ft pct, 1.4 steals (23, 138)
Napheesa Collier, UConn, 6-1, sophomore, O’Fallon, Mo., 20.2 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 68.9 fg pct, 83.8 ft pct, 2.0 blocks (21, 132)
Brionna Jones, Maryland, 6-3, senior, Havre de Grace, Md., 19.8 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 69.8 fg pct (17, 126)
Second Team
Kelsey Mitchell, Ohio State, 5-8, junior, Cincinnati, 23.0 ppg, 4.0 apg, 44.2 fg pct, 82.4 ft pct (13, 107)
Brianna Turner, Notre Dame, 6-3, junior, Pearland, Texas, 15.6 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 62.4 fg pct, 2.5 blocks (8, 96)
Gabby Williams UConn, 5-11, junior, Sparks, Nev., 13.2 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 5.3 apg, 57.3 fg pct, 2.7 steals (8, 87)
Chantel Osahor, Washington, 6-2, senior, Phoenix, 15.7 ppg, 15.3 rpg, 4.2 apg (4, 59)
Alexis Peterson, Syracuse, 5-7, senior, Columbus, Ohio, 23.3 ppg, 7.1 apg, 3.0 steals, 35.6 minutes (3, 58)
Third Team
Sydney Wiese, Oregon State, 6-1, senior, Phoenix, 15.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 4.6 apg, 45.9 3-pt fg pct, 85.3 ft pct (1, 56)
Lindsay Allen, Notre Dame, 5-8, senior, Mitchellville, Md., 9.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 7.6 apg, 50.0 fg pct (4, 54)
Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Maryland, 5-11, junior, Aliquippa, Pa., 18.6 ppg, 3.7 apg, 53.1 fg pct, 44.7 3-pt fg pct, 81.1 ft pct (0, 52)
Lexie Brown, Duke, 5-9, junior, Suwanee, Ga., 18.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.6 apg, 92.2 ft pct, 2.8 steals (0, 40)
Victoria Vivians, Mississippi State, 6-1, junior, Carthage, Miss., 16.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg (1, 34)
Honorable Mention
(In alphabetical order)
Evelyn Akhator, Kentucky; Kristine Anigwe, California; Kalani Brown (1), Baylor; Jordin Canada, UCLA; Alaina Coates, South Carolina; Asia Durr, Louisville; Nia Coffey, Northwestern; Sophie Cunningham, Missouri; Makayla Epps (1), Kentucky; Tori Jankoska, Michigan State; Alexis Jones, Baylor; Tynice Martin, West Virginia; Erica McCall, Stanford; Brooke McCarty, Texas; Kia Nurse, UConn; Leticia Romero, Florida State; Mercedes Russell, Tennessee; Karlie Samuelson, Stanford; Brooke Schulte, DePaul; Jennie Simms, Old Dominion; Shakayla Thomas, Florida State; Lizzy Wendell, Drake; Morgan William, Mississippi State.
This story was originally published March 27, 2017 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Kentucky’s Epps, Akhator earn All-America recognition."