Biography
Awards
2020-21 Preseason All-WAC Second Team (Coaches)
2020-21 Preseason All-WAC Second Team (Media)
2020-21 | Never relinquished his position in the Aggies' backcourt through year two of his time in the crimson and white...Appeared and started in 19 of the team's 20 games...Averaged 9.2 points, 1.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.0 steals in 28.4 minutes per game...Led the team and ranked eighth in the WAC in assists per game...Passed out a season and career-high seven assists to go along with a season-high 17 points in a non-conference win over Benedictine Mesa which helped NM State match the program record for consecutive wins (20) (Dec. 1)...Appeared on SportsCenter's Top Ten plays (number nine) after hitting a turnaround three-pointer at the halftime horn which helped him finish with 12 points in a non-conference victory over Western New Mexico (Jan. 25)...Matched his career-high by registering three steals in a WAC victory over California Baptist (Feb. 6).
2019-20 | Did not become eligible until Dec. 18, but once he was the Aggies didn't lose...Started 14 of the 19 games he took part in during his first season in a NM State uniform...Averaged 7.5 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 22.9 minutes per game...Put up shooting splits of .398/.397/.700 and ranked second on the team in three-point field goal percentage...Made his Aggie debut in a non-conference home win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff where he submitted three points, two rebounds and two assists (12/18)...Came up with a season-high 14 points on 4-of-7 shooting in a neutral site victory over Mississippi State (12/22)...Dished out a season and career-high six assists to go along with nine points, a season-high six rebounds, a blocked shot and a steal in a WAC victory at CSU Bakersfield (2/29)...Helped the Aggies capture their third-consecutive WAC regular season title while ending the season in a 19-game winning streak that ranked as the second-longest in the nation.Â
2018-19 (UTEP): Started in 20 of 28 games played...led UTEP in points per game (13.6), total points (381), made three-point field goals (55) and three-point field goal percentage (35.5)...ranked second on team in free throw percentage (72.3) and made free throws (86)...added a career-best 3.1 rebounds per game with 47 assists and tied for team lead with 20 steals...opened season with a 24 point performance against UTPB (11/6) and a 25-point effort at NM State (11/9)...dished out a season-high five assists and connected on a career-high six three-point buckets versus UTPB (11/6)...recorded first-career double-double, tying a career-high with 29 points and grabbed a career-best 11 rebounds versus ENMU (11/19)...set a career-high with 11 made field goals against ENMU (11/19)...scored 22 points on 5-of-9 three-point shooting at New Mexico (11/24)...named C-USA Player of the Week following contests versus ENMU and at New Mexico...recorded 18 points, three assists and nine rebounds against rival NM State (11/28)...tied a career-high with three steals, while scoring 12 points and registering six boards in a win against Northwestern State (12/1)...tallied 25 points and went 7-for-7 from the charity stripe (season high on made free throws) at UAB (1/7)...registered 16 points during a victory against FIU (2/9).
2017-18 (UTEP): Dynamic frosh averaged 9.1 points, 1.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 0.8 steals while shooting 38.1-percent from the field, 29.2-percent from outside and 84.4-percent from the charity stripe...his .844 free throw shooting clip was a new UTEP freshman record...ranked seventh in C-USA in free throw percentage...led the squad in free throws made (81) and attempted (96)...also drew a team-best 19 charges and tied for the team lead with seven three-point plays...ranked second on the team in steals (26) and third in assists (51)...stepped up his game in C-USA play, averaging 10.6 points while shooting 39.7-percent from the floor and 35.3-percent from beyond the arc...scored in double figures in nine of the last 15 games (all versus league opponents), including a UTEP freshman record 29 points against UTSA (3/7) in the C-USA Tournament...scored in double figures on 11 occasions with a team-leading five 20-point games (all versus C-USA opponents)...saw action in 31 games while starting in 13 games – including the final eight contests…started in his Miner debut against Louisiana College (11/10), collecting seven points, six assists and three steals in 22 minutes...scored in double figures for the first time at the college level at NM State (11/25), tying for team-high with 14 points and added five rebounds and two steals against the Aggies...was perfect a 8-for-8 from the line (all in the second half) with 10 points against Washington State (12/9)...recorded 14 of his 20 points in the second half against Florida Atlantic (1/11), including three consecutive three-pointers late that got the Miners back in the game...went 8-for-8 from the line in the second half, part of a 14-point showing versus FIU (1/13)...had 14 points in 18 minutes at UAB (1/25) on 5-of-6 shooting – four of which came from downtown…put up all 13 of his points in the second half at Middle Tennessee (1/27) and went 7-for-8 from the line against the Blue Raiders with a game-high three steals...tallied 15 of his 20 points in the second half versus Marshall (2/3)...put up 22 points (8-for-8 FTs) and a team-high four assists at Charlotte (2/15)...matched the 22 points (7-for-7 FTs) versus Southern Miss (2/24) with a pair of steals...scored 12 of UTEP’s last 16 points (16 total) at North Texas (3/3), including the alley-oop to Matt Willms for the game-winning dunk with three seconds left in a 68-66 win that sealed the Miners' spot in the C-USA Tournament.
High School: First-team all-state and first-team all-city in leading Simeon to a 29-4 mark…guided Wolverines to a city championship and runner-up finish in the state of Illinois as a senior in 2016-17...averaged 17.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 3.0 steals...scored 32 points twice and had a triple-double against Edwardsville High School with 32 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds...also posted three consecutive double-doubles versus Westinghouse (19 points, 11 assists), Schurz (15 points, 12 assists) and Farragut (21 points, 11 assists)...was MVP of the Pontiac Holiday Christmas Tournament and the Penny Hardaway National Hoop Fest in Dallas and Memphis...led Simeon Career Academy, which also produced NBA standouts Jabari Parker and Derrick Rose, to a 125-11 record...three-time all-conference honoree as a prep...averaged 13.5 points and 3.2 assists as a junior (2015-16) en route to being named second-team all-city and honorable mention all-state...scored 14 points in the fourth quarter of the 2016 city championship game as Simeon beat Kenwood 54-49.
Personal: Son of Evan Gilyard, Sr. and Aisha Thompson...has two brothers and five sisters...uncle Andre Battle (1981-85) was a four-year letterman at Loyola (IL) and drafted in the third round, 70th overall, by the Boston Celtics while cousin Stefhon Hannah played at Mizzou (2006-08)…majoring in communication studies.
