MSU's Teaira McCowan Named SEC Freshman of the Week
December 01, 2015 | Women's Basketball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Teaira McCowan's dominant performances in the post last week earned the Bulldogs' 6-foot-7 rookie Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week laurels from the league office on Tuesday.
McCowan recorded three-straight games with double-figure rebounds, including a pair of double-doubles, to end the week with 15.0 ppg and 11.0 rpg. She also averaged 3.0 blocks per contest, including a season-best five in Sunday's win against Savannah State.
The Brenham, Texas, native added eight points and 12 rebounds against the Lady Tigers to help MSU improve to 5-0 on the season.
“I am really proud of (Teaira) for earning that reward. She or anyone else who has won that award, while it is an individual award, will tell you her teammates have a lot to do with it by getting her the ball down there,” Vic Schaefer said. “She has had a big week for us and is very deserving (of the honor).
She came two points shy of recording her fourth-straight double-double on Sunday after starting the week with 20 points and 11 rebounds against Norfolk State and a 17-point, 10-rebound effort against Mississippi Valley State.
She recorded the first double-double of her career against Grambling on Nov. 21, scoring a season-high 21 points to go with 11 rebounds.
“I don't think people realize how difficult it is on freshmen to come in and adapt to college life, being away from home, and then play at this level,” Schaefer said. “Even though we have had five games that weren't real taxing, the preparation and practice has been taxing, and all that is such a big change for a freshman.
“(Teaira) has come in and battled. She has had good days and bad just like all freshmen, and to be 10 hours from home has been a big challenge for her. But to see her success, see her respond and see the process of maturing is very rewarding. I'm really happy for her and to see her have some success early on in her career.”
McCowan rates second on the team this season with 13.6 ppg, while topping the squad with an SEC third-most 9.4 rebounds per game. She claims 5.0 offensive rebounds per contest, tops in the SEC and ninth-most in the nation.
She also tops the Bulldogs in blocks, swatting an SEC fourth-most 2.4 per game.
McCowan returns to play in her home state for the first time Wednesday as the ninth-ranked Bulldogs travel to No. 6 Texas for a 7 p.m. tip on the Longhorn Network and ESPN3.
