Dogs' Thompkins named SEC player of week

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Trey Thompkins, whose outstanding play led Georgia to a rousing victory over Big Ten foe Illinois, was named Southeastern Conference Player of the Week, according to an announcement Monday by the league office in Birmingham.

Thompkins, a 6-10 sophomore from Lithonia, scored a team-high 21 points and added seven rebounds as the Bulldogs edged the Fighting Illini 70-67 at the Gwinnett Arena in Duluth. Most important, he sank four decisive free throws in the game's final 22 seconds to secure the victory. Thompkins did not start the Illinois game and played just 29 minutes. He had missed two practices during the week of final exams after having wisdom teeth extracted.

For the season, Thompkins leads the Bulldogs in scoring at 15.0 points per game, rebounding (7.2/game), blocks (16), field goal attempts (113) and field goals made (49). Continuing the theme from the Illinois game, he has made 11 of 12 foul shots in the final five minutes of games this season. Thompkins is also the leading career scorer among all current Bulldogs with 489 points.

Thompkins becomes the first Georgia player to win the SEC Player-of-the-Week award since Sundiata Gaines took home the honor during the week of Feb. 18, 2008.