Morgan William, Victoria Vivians and Teaira McCowan were tabbed to national player of the year watch lists on Wednesday.
Vivians, William, McCowan Named To National Watch Lists
November 29, 2017 | Women's Basketball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – More national award watch lists were announced Wednesday, and No. 3 Mississippi State was well-represented.
Victoria Vivians, Morgan William and Teaira McCowan were each named to the 2018 Citizen Naismith Player of the Year Trophy watch list Wednesday morning. Later that day, Vivians and William were tabbed to the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's 25-player watch list for the Wade Trophy, the oldest national player of the year award in college women's basketball.
State is one of four programs with two or more players on the Wade Trophy watch list. State's three selections to the Naismith Trophy watch list is tied for third-most of the teams represented.
Vivians has been off to a stellar start to her senior campaign, rating sixth in the SEC with 18.8 ppg. The Carthage, Miss., has tallied that average behind 53.2-percent shooting from the field and a 40.6-percent clip from 3-point range.
The Preseason All-SEC selection was named the Cancun Challenge Mayan Division MVP after tallying 19.0 points per game and matching her season average with 5.0 rebounds per contest.
Last week, Vivians passed Tan White for second at MSU in career 3-pointers made with 225. She is the SEC's active leader in career scoring with an 1,867-point total that is third among current NCAA Division I players.
A Preseason All-SEC selection, William has been one of the nation's best at distributing the basketball this season, rating second in the SEC and 31st nationally with 6.2 assists per game. The Bulldogs' senior point guard has also protected the rock, topping the country with a 9.3 assist/turnover ratio.
The Birmingham, Ala., native has dished 517 assists in her career, a total that is third nationally and tops in the SEC among current players. Not only does she own the Bulldogs' career assists record, but she also tops the program and ranks ninth in SEC annals in free-throw percentage (84.3 percent).
McCowan has developed into one of the nation's top centers, averaging 14.7 points and 10.3 rebounds per contest to go with a 2.0 blocks average.
The Brenham, Texas, native was named to the Cancun Challenge Mayan Division All-Tournament Team after averaging 15.0 points, 12.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in the three wins. That honor came after she was named SEC Player of the Week for an 18-point, 10-rebound effort against Southern Miss and a 19-point showing against Georgia State.
McCowan had made 59.4-percent from the field, the fourth-best tally in the SEC. She also rates fifth in the league in both rebounds and blocks this season, and tops the conference with 5.2 offensive boards per game.
McCowan has already vaulted up the MSU career charts, rating second in program history with a 59.4 career field-goal percentage. She has also swatted 115 shots, three back of tying for third at MSU.
The trio leads Mississippi State into a Wednesday contest against Louisiana at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson. Tip for that contest is set for 7 p.m.
State returns home Sunday to face Oklahoma State in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. Tip at Humphrey Coliseum is scheduled for 1 p.m., with SEC Network airing the game.
Victoria Vivians, Morgan William and Teaira McCowan were each named to the 2018 Citizen Naismith Player of the Year Trophy watch list Wednesday morning. Later that day, Vivians and William were tabbed to the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's 25-player watch list for the Wade Trophy, the oldest national player of the year award in college women's basketball.
State is one of four programs with two or more players on the Wade Trophy watch list. State's three selections to the Naismith Trophy watch list is tied for third-most of the teams represented.
Vivians has been off to a stellar start to her senior campaign, rating sixth in the SEC with 18.8 ppg. The Carthage, Miss., has tallied that average behind 53.2-percent shooting from the field and a 40.6-percent clip from 3-point range.
The Preseason All-SEC selection was named the Cancun Challenge Mayan Division MVP after tallying 19.0 points per game and matching her season average with 5.0 rebounds per contest.
Last week, Vivians passed Tan White for second at MSU in career 3-pointers made with 225. She is the SEC's active leader in career scoring with an 1,867-point total that is third among current NCAA Division I players.
A Preseason All-SEC selection, William has been one of the nation's best at distributing the basketball this season, rating second in the SEC and 31st nationally with 6.2 assists per game. The Bulldogs' senior point guard has also protected the rock, topping the country with a 9.3 assist/turnover ratio.
The Birmingham, Ala., native has dished 517 assists in her career, a total that is third nationally and tops in the SEC among current players. Not only does she own the Bulldogs' career assists record, but she also tops the program and ranks ninth in SEC annals in free-throw percentage (84.3 percent).
McCowan has developed into one of the nation's top centers, averaging 14.7 points and 10.3 rebounds per contest to go with a 2.0 blocks average.
The Brenham, Texas, native was named to the Cancun Challenge Mayan Division All-Tournament Team after averaging 15.0 points, 12.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in the three wins. That honor came after she was named SEC Player of the Week for an 18-point, 10-rebound effort against Southern Miss and a 19-point showing against Georgia State.
McCowan had made 59.4-percent from the field, the fourth-best tally in the SEC. She also rates fifth in the league in both rebounds and blocks this season, and tops the conference with 5.2 offensive boards per game.
McCowan has already vaulted up the MSU career charts, rating second in program history with a 59.4 career field-goal percentage. She has also swatted 115 shots, three back of tying for third at MSU.
The trio leads Mississippi State into a Wednesday contest against Louisiana at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson. Tip for that contest is set for 7 p.m.
State returns home Sunday to face Oklahoma State in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. Tip at Humphrey Coliseum is scheduled for 1 p.m., with SEC Network airing the game.
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