Breanna Richardson, Iggy Allen, Dominique Dillingham, Morgan William, Blair Schaefer, Jazzmun Holmes, Victoria Vivians and Teaira McCowan all won awards at Tuesday night's Hail State Hoops Banquet.
Bulldogs Hand Out Team Awards To Cap Historic Season
April 18, 2017 | Women's Basketball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State capped a historic women's basketball season by handing out team awards Tuesday night in front of a capacity crowd of over 500 at The Mill Conference Center.
In addition to reflecting on the 34-win season and handing out awards, the Bulldogs also honored seniors Ketara Chapel, Dominique Dillingham, Chinwe Okorie and Breanna Richardson as they capped their careers the winningest class in program history with 111 victories.
"It was a great night and great celebration of a tremendous season," Bulldog head coach Vic Schaefer said. "It is bittersweet to say goodbye to our seniors. They have done so much for our program and our University, and they have established a winning culture in the four years they have been here. I am appreciative of the trust and confidence they placed in us four years ago when they decided that they were going to become Bulldogs."
Junior Morgan William was named Most Outstanding Player for the 2016-17 season after averaging 10.9 points and an SEC third-most 4.6 assists per contest this season.
William set the school's single-season assists record with 181, and she also became MSU's career leader in the category with 480 through her first three seasons in Starkville. The Second Team All-SEC selection and Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention also tied for second in season free-throw percentage, knocking down an SEC third-best 84.2 percent.
The Birmingham, Ala., native scored at a 9.5 clip and dished an SEC second-most 5.4 apg as Mississippi State went 13-3 and finished second in the SEC. She led the Bulldogs to the SEC Tournament championship game, averaging 15.7 ppg on 59.3 percent shooting and 4.3 assists to earn SEC All-Tournament Team honors.
William averaged 12.2 ppg in the NCAA Tournament and was named Oklahoma City Regional Most Outstanding Player after scoring 41 points against Baylor in the Elite Eight, the most ever by an SEC player in an NCAA Tournament game and the third-most ever in the NCAA regional rounds. She then tallied 13 points, including the game-winning shot in overtime, in the Final Four as the Bulldogs snapped Connecticut's 111-game win streak.
William and fellow All-Final Four Team member Victoria Vivians shared the Miss Offense Award. Vivians averaged 16.2 ppg this season en route to earning First Team All-SEC and Associated Press Third Team All-America honors.
Vivians scored the eighth-most points in a season (633) by a Bulldog and moved up to fourth in career scoring with 1,754 points.
The Carthage, Miss., native finished the year eighth in the SEC in scoring, but the WBCA All-America Region Finalist and Naismith Trophy semifinalist tallied the fifth-best scoring average in SEC play (18.1 ppg) to guide the Bulldogs to a second-place league finish.
The first three-time Gillom Trophy winner led MSU with 15.5 ppg in the historic NCAA Tournament run. She earned Oklahoma City All-Region honors after averaging 18.5 ppg and 5.0 rpg in State's wins against Washington and top-seeded Baylor.
Vivians helped the Bulldogs to their first national championship game appearance, notching 19 points in the historic upset of UConn and 12 points against South Carolina in the title game.
Dillingham claimed the Miss Defense award following an outstanding senior campaign that saw her earn SEC All-Defensive Team honors for the second-straight season. In addition to averaging 6.6 ppg, the Spring, Texas, native collected 28 steals on the year. She also drew 23 charges to finish her career with 131.
Dillingham joined the 1,000-point club, finishing her career 25th at MSU with 1,013 points, and she claimed the fourth-most career steals by a Bulldog with 210.
Teaira McCowan earned the 6th Woman Award after a stellar sophomore season that saw her average 8.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks to claim SEC 6th Woman of the Year honors. McCowan shot 56.9 percent from the field, the fifth-best single-season percentage by a Bulldog, and claimed the seventh-most rebounds with 276.
After averaging 11.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in the SEC Tournament, McCowan scored 11.7 points and grabbed 9.5 rebounds in the NCAA Tournament.
The Brenham, Texas, native was named to the Oklahoma City All-Regional Team after averaging 18.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks against Washington and Baylor. She scored a career-best 26 points against the Huskies in the Sweet 16, with 20 of those points coming in the fourth quarter. McCowan had 10 points and 8 rebounds against UConn and 7 points, 10 rebounds against South Carolina in the championship game.
Blair Schaefer claimed a pair of honors, taking home the Miss Hustle Award along with the Tommy and Terri Nusz Outstanding Bulldog Award. Schaefer, a two-time SEC Community Service Team selection, enjoyed a career year for the Maroon & White, tallying 192 points and knocking down 38.7 percent from 3-point range and 84.6 percent from the free-throw line.
Schaefer enjoyed a sensational run in the NCAA Tournament, knocking down 9.0 ppg and shooting 44.7 percent from the field and 44 percent from 3-point range. The Starkville product started the first three games of the "Big Dance" and responded with a career-best 21 points against Troy and 18 against DePaul. She contributed 10 points against Washington in the Sweet 16.
Jazzmun Holmes earned the Most Improved Award following a sophomore season that saw her dish 98 assists, the fifth most by a Bulldog sophomore. Holmes dished 27 more assists and scored 40 more points than her freshman season. She tallied a career-high 14 points and added six assists in State's second-round win against DePaul.
Richardson earned the Team Academic Award after wrapping her career with a school-record 142 career games played. Richardson, who earned her degree in December, scored 7.5 points and grabbed 4.8 rebounds per contest in her final season with the Bulldogs.
The Conyers, Ga., native joined William and Dillingham in the 1,000-point club, and she wrapped her four years in Starkville 18th in career scoring with 1,110 points. Richardson also capped her MSU career eighth in rebounds with 727. She scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds in State's historic upset of top-ranked Connecticut.
In addition to excelling on the court, she also shined in the classroom, earning SEC Academic Honor Roll accolades each year of her career.
Iggy Allen received the Rookie Award after tallying 53 points and shooting 47.8 percent from the field in 20 games as a freshman. Allen scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds in her MSU debut and tallied a season-best 14 points on 7 of 9 shooting against San Jose State in the Rainbow Wahine Showdown.
The Season's Greatest Fan Award went to former Bulldog head coach Sharon Otis and her husband, Larry.
2016-17 Mississippi State Women's Basketball Team Awards
Team Academic - Breanna Richardson
Rookie Award - Jacaira Allen
Most Improved - Jazzmun Holmes
6th Woman Award - Teaira McCowan
Miss Hustle - Blair Schaefer
Miss Defense - Dominique Dillingham
Co-Miss Offense - Victoria Vivians and Morgan William
Tommy & Terri Nusz Outstanding Bulldog Award- Blair Schaefer
Most Outstanding Player- Morgan William
Season's Greatest Fan Award- Larry & Sharon Otis
In addition to reflecting on the 34-win season and handing out awards, the Bulldogs also honored seniors Ketara Chapel, Dominique Dillingham, Chinwe Okorie and Breanna Richardson as they capped their careers the winningest class in program history with 111 victories.
"It was a great night and great celebration of a tremendous season," Bulldog head coach Vic Schaefer said. "It is bittersweet to say goodbye to our seniors. They have done so much for our program and our University, and they have established a winning culture in the four years they have been here. I am appreciative of the trust and confidence they placed in us four years ago when they decided that they were going to become Bulldogs."
Junior Morgan William was named Most Outstanding Player for the 2016-17 season after averaging 10.9 points and an SEC third-most 4.6 assists per contest this season.
William set the school's single-season assists record with 181, and she also became MSU's career leader in the category with 480 through her first three seasons in Starkville. The Second Team All-SEC selection and Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention also tied for second in season free-throw percentage, knocking down an SEC third-best 84.2 percent.
The Birmingham, Ala., native scored at a 9.5 clip and dished an SEC second-most 5.4 apg as Mississippi State went 13-3 and finished second in the SEC. She led the Bulldogs to the SEC Tournament championship game, averaging 15.7 ppg on 59.3 percent shooting and 4.3 assists to earn SEC All-Tournament Team honors.
William averaged 12.2 ppg in the NCAA Tournament and was named Oklahoma City Regional Most Outstanding Player after scoring 41 points against Baylor in the Elite Eight, the most ever by an SEC player in an NCAA Tournament game and the third-most ever in the NCAA regional rounds. She then tallied 13 points, including the game-winning shot in overtime, in the Final Four as the Bulldogs snapped Connecticut's 111-game win streak.
William and fellow All-Final Four Team member Victoria Vivians shared the Miss Offense Award. Vivians averaged 16.2 ppg this season en route to earning First Team All-SEC and Associated Press Third Team All-America honors.
Vivians scored the eighth-most points in a season (633) by a Bulldog and moved up to fourth in career scoring with 1,754 points.
The Carthage, Miss., native finished the year eighth in the SEC in scoring, but the WBCA All-America Region Finalist and Naismith Trophy semifinalist tallied the fifth-best scoring average in SEC play (18.1 ppg) to guide the Bulldogs to a second-place league finish.
The first three-time Gillom Trophy winner led MSU with 15.5 ppg in the historic NCAA Tournament run. She earned Oklahoma City All-Region honors after averaging 18.5 ppg and 5.0 rpg in State's wins against Washington and top-seeded Baylor.
Vivians helped the Bulldogs to their first national championship game appearance, notching 19 points in the historic upset of UConn and 12 points against South Carolina in the title game.
Dillingham claimed the Miss Defense award following an outstanding senior campaign that saw her earn SEC All-Defensive Team honors for the second-straight season. In addition to averaging 6.6 ppg, the Spring, Texas, native collected 28 steals on the year. She also drew 23 charges to finish her career with 131.
Dillingham joined the 1,000-point club, finishing her career 25th at MSU with 1,013 points, and she claimed the fourth-most career steals by a Bulldog with 210.
Teaira McCowan earned the 6th Woman Award after a stellar sophomore season that saw her average 8.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks to claim SEC 6th Woman of the Year honors. McCowan shot 56.9 percent from the field, the fifth-best single-season percentage by a Bulldog, and claimed the seventh-most rebounds with 276.
After averaging 11.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in the SEC Tournament, McCowan scored 11.7 points and grabbed 9.5 rebounds in the NCAA Tournament.
The Brenham, Texas, native was named to the Oklahoma City All-Regional Team after averaging 18.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks against Washington and Baylor. She scored a career-best 26 points against the Huskies in the Sweet 16, with 20 of those points coming in the fourth quarter. McCowan had 10 points and 8 rebounds against UConn and 7 points, 10 rebounds against South Carolina in the championship game.
Blair Schaefer claimed a pair of honors, taking home the Miss Hustle Award along with the Tommy and Terri Nusz Outstanding Bulldog Award. Schaefer, a two-time SEC Community Service Team selection, enjoyed a career year for the Maroon & White, tallying 192 points and knocking down 38.7 percent from 3-point range and 84.6 percent from the free-throw line.
Schaefer enjoyed a sensational run in the NCAA Tournament, knocking down 9.0 ppg and shooting 44.7 percent from the field and 44 percent from 3-point range. The Starkville product started the first three games of the "Big Dance" and responded with a career-best 21 points against Troy and 18 against DePaul. She contributed 10 points against Washington in the Sweet 16.
Jazzmun Holmes earned the Most Improved Award following a sophomore season that saw her dish 98 assists, the fifth most by a Bulldog sophomore. Holmes dished 27 more assists and scored 40 more points than her freshman season. She tallied a career-high 14 points and added six assists in State's second-round win against DePaul.
Richardson earned the Team Academic Award after wrapping her career with a school-record 142 career games played. Richardson, who earned her degree in December, scored 7.5 points and grabbed 4.8 rebounds per contest in her final season with the Bulldogs.
The Conyers, Ga., native joined William and Dillingham in the 1,000-point club, and she wrapped her four years in Starkville 18th in career scoring with 1,110 points. Richardson also capped her MSU career eighth in rebounds with 727. She scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds in State's historic upset of top-ranked Connecticut.
In addition to excelling on the court, she also shined in the classroom, earning SEC Academic Honor Roll accolades each year of her career.
Iggy Allen received the Rookie Award after tallying 53 points and shooting 47.8 percent from the field in 20 games as a freshman. Allen scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds in her MSU debut and tallied a season-best 14 points on 7 of 9 shooting against San Jose State in the Rainbow Wahine Showdown.
The Season's Greatest Fan Award went to former Bulldog head coach Sharon Otis and her husband, Larry.
2016-17 Mississippi State Women's Basketball Team Awards
Team Academic - Breanna Richardson
Rookie Award - Jacaira Allen
Most Improved - Jazzmun Holmes
6th Woman Award - Teaira McCowan
Miss Hustle - Blair Schaefer
Miss Defense - Dominique Dillingham
Co-Miss Offense - Victoria Vivians and Morgan William
Tommy & Terri Nusz Outstanding Bulldog Award- Blair Schaefer
Most Outstanding Player- Morgan William
Season's Greatest Fan Award- Larry & Sharon Otis
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballWednesday, March 04
Tuesday, February 24
Wednesday, February 18
Tuesday, February 17