Teaira McCowan Named To Lisa Leslie Award Watch List
November 10, 2017 | Women's Basketball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Following a breakout sophomore campaign, Mississippi State junior center Teaira McCowan has been named to the watch list for the inaugural Lisa Leslie Award, the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame and Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced Friday.
The Preseason Second Team All-SEC selection is one of 20 candidates on the watch list for the award, which is presented to the nation's top center in NCAA Division I.
McCowan is one of six SEC players named to the list. Earlier in the week, Morgan William was named to the Nancy Lieberman Award Watch List for the country's top point guard, and Victoria Vivians was selected to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Watch List for Division I's top shooting guard.
During Mississippi State's historic 2016-17 season, McCowan became the program's first SEC Sixth Woman of the Year after tallying 8.7 ppg and team highs with 7.1 rpg and 1.5 bpg. She also shot 56.9 percent from the field, the fifth-best season percentage in MSU history.
The Brenham, Texas, native bumped her numbers to 9.3 ppg and 7.2 rpg in SEC contests.
McCowan moved into the starting lineup in the NCAA Tournament, and in those six starts, nearly averaged a double-double with 11.7 points and 9.5 rebounds. That tally included 18.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks in wins against Washington and Baylor, earning her a spot on the Oklahoma City All-Region Team.
She enters her junior season tied for second in MSU career field goal percentage records with a 53.7 percent tally and fifth in blocks with 103.
2018 Lisa Leslie Award Candidates
The Preseason Second Team All-SEC selection is one of 20 candidates on the watch list for the award, which is presented to the nation's top center in NCAA Division I.
McCowan is one of six SEC players named to the list. Earlier in the week, Morgan William was named to the Nancy Lieberman Award Watch List for the country's top point guard, and Victoria Vivians was selected to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Watch List for Division I's top shooting guard.
During Mississippi State's historic 2016-17 season, McCowan became the program's first SEC Sixth Woman of the Year after tallying 8.7 ppg and team highs with 7.1 rpg and 1.5 bpg. She also shot 56.9 percent from the field, the fifth-best season percentage in MSU history.
The Brenham, Texas, native bumped her numbers to 9.3 ppg and 7.2 rpg in SEC contests.
McCowan moved into the starting lineup in the NCAA Tournament, and in those six starts, nearly averaged a double-double with 11.7 points and 9.5 rebounds. That tally included 18.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks in wins against Washington and Baylor, earning her a spot on the Oklahoma City All-Region Team.
She enters her junior season tied for second in MSU career field goal percentage records with a 53.7 percent tally and fifth in blocks with 103.
2018 Lisa Leslie Award Candidates
| Kalani Brown | Baylor |
| Azura Stevens | Connecticut |
| Becca Jones | Drake University |
| Erin Mathias | Duke |
| Chatrice White | Florida State |
| Alyssa Rice | Kentucky |
| Hallie Thome | Michigan |
| Teaira McCowan | Mississippi State |
| Cierra Porter | Missouri |
| Akela Maize | NC State |
| Vionise Pierre-Louis | Oklahoma |
| Kaylee Jensen | Oklahoma State |
| Marie Gulich | Oregon State |
| A'ja Wilson | South Carolina |
| Alanna Smith | Stanford |
| Mercedes Russell | Tennessee |
| Khaalia Hillsman | Texas A&M |
| Monique Billings | UCLA |
| Kristen Simon | USC |
| Emily Potter | Utah |
Players Mentioned
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