Arkansas' Samara Spencer leaves SEC Tournament game vs. Auburn with apparent injury

In Arkansas–Auburn’s meeting in the SEC Tournament on Thursday evening, Razorbacks guard Samara Spencer was forced to leave the game after suffering an apparent injury to her left arm. A trainer held Spencer’s arm in a towel as she walked back to the locker room.

The injury occurred in the fourth quarter when Spencer dived for a loose ball. Auburn guard JaMya Mingo-Young also dove for the ball and trapped Spencer’s hand underneath her. Spencer was eventually able to return to the court later in the final frame.

Spencer averaged 14.0 points. 4.5 rebounds and a team-high 3.5 assists per game this season while shooting 33.7% from the floor and 25.5% from beyond the arc. Spencer started in all 37 games for Arkansas last season, which tied a school record.

Despite Spencer’s return, Arkansas ultimately fell to Auburn 67-48. It was Auburn’s first win in the SEC Tournament since 2020. Although Samara Spencer excelled this season, she did not earn a spot on an All-SEC team.

SEC unveils 2024 women’s basketball honors

Angel Reese of LSU was named the SEC Player of the Year, while Dawn Staley of South Carolina was named the SEC Coach of the Year. Reese has started 26 games for the Tigers this season and is averaging 19 points and 13 rebounds per game.

Staley’s South Carolina team is undefeated and the unanimous No. 1 team in the country after being ranked No. 6 in the preseason. The Gamecocks lost all five starters from last year’s team.

Elsewhere, LSU’s Mikaylah Williams was honored as the SEC Freshman of the Year. South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso was named the Defensive Player of the Year. Leilani Correa from Florida was named the Sixth Woman of the Year. And finally, Missouri’s Mama Dembele was named the Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

In addition, the SEC also announced its first-team All-SEC, second-team All-SEC, all-freshman team and all-defensive team.

Here is who was named to those teams:

First Team All-SEC

Sarah Ashlee Barker, Alabama
Honesty Scott-Grayson, Auburn
Aneesah Morrow, LSU
Angel Reese, LSU
Marquesha Davis, Ole Miss
Madison Scott, Ole Miss
Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina
Rickea Jackson, Tennessee

‌Second-Team All-SEC

Aaliyah Nye, Alabama
Leilani Correa, Florida
Javyn Nicholson, Georgia
Flau’jae Johnson, LSU
Jessika Carter, Mississippi State
Jerkaila Jordan, Mississippi State
Raven Johnson, South Carolina
Te-Hina Paopao, South Carolina
Ashlyn Watkins, South Carolina
Iyana Moore, Vanderbilt

All-Freshman Team

Essence Cody, Alabama
Taliah Scott, Arkansas
Laila Reynolds, Florida
Aalyah Del Rosario, LSU
Mikaylah Williams, LSU
Grace Slaughter, Missouri
MiLaysia Fulwiley, South Carolina
Khamil Pierre, Vanderbilt

‌All-Defensive Team

Angel Reese, LSU
Madison Scott, Ole Miss
Mama Dembele, Missouri
Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina
Jordyn Cambridge, Vanderbilt