Vivians, McCowan On Naismith Award Late Season Top 30
February 12, 2018 | Women's Basketball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Combining to form the top-scoring duo in the SEC, Mississippi State's Victoria Vivians and Teaira McCowan have been selected to the Naismith Trophy Late Season Top 30, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Monday.
Vivians and McCowan combine to average 38.7 ppg for a second-ranked Bulldog squad that is one of the nation's two remaining unbeaten teams at 26-0 and the top team in the SEC at 12-0.
Having the best season of her MSU career, Vivians rates third in the SEC averaging 19.7 ppg this season. The Carthage, Miss., native has scored double figures in 25 of her team's 26 games, including 13 games with 20 or more points.
On the year she is shooting 49.6 percent from the field, 39.3 percent from the 3-point stripe and an SEC third-best 83.5 percent at the free-throw line.
Vivians, who is fourth in league games averaging 19.5 ppg, has also been solid on the defensive end, rating second on the team in rebounds (5.7 rpg) and steals (1.6 spg).
McCowan has also put together a banner season, rating fourth in the league in scoring (19.0 ppg) and first in rebounds at 13.3 rpg. The Brenham, Texas, native is making shots at a 61.9-percent clip that is second in the conference.
The SEC's fifth-best shot blocker at 2.0 bpg, McCowan has claimed 18 double-doubles this season, the fourth-best total in the nation and two back of tying the MSU record.
McCowan, who set the State single-season rebounds record, rates third in the country on the boards, including first on the offensive glass, and eighth in field goal percentage.
In the conference, McCowan is seventh in scoring (18.1 ppg) and field goal percentage (57.1 percent) and tops on the glass with 14.2 rpg.
McCowan and Vivians lead Mississippi State to Nashville Thursday for a 7:30 p.m. contest against Vanderbilt on the SEC Network. A win would clinch the Bulldogs a share of their first SEC regular-season title.
Vivians and McCowan combine to average 38.7 ppg for a second-ranked Bulldog squad that is one of the nation's two remaining unbeaten teams at 26-0 and the top team in the SEC at 12-0.
Having the best season of her MSU career, Vivians rates third in the SEC averaging 19.7 ppg this season. The Carthage, Miss., native has scored double figures in 25 of her team's 26 games, including 13 games with 20 or more points.
On the year she is shooting 49.6 percent from the field, 39.3 percent from the 3-point stripe and an SEC third-best 83.5 percent at the free-throw line.
Vivians, who is fourth in league games averaging 19.5 ppg, has also been solid on the defensive end, rating second on the team in rebounds (5.7 rpg) and steals (1.6 spg).
McCowan has also put together a banner season, rating fourth in the league in scoring (19.0 ppg) and first in rebounds at 13.3 rpg. The Brenham, Texas, native is making shots at a 61.9-percent clip that is second in the conference.
The SEC's fifth-best shot blocker at 2.0 bpg, McCowan has claimed 18 double-doubles this season, the fourth-best total in the nation and two back of tying the MSU record.
McCowan, who set the State single-season rebounds record, rates third in the country on the boards, including first on the offensive glass, and eighth in field goal percentage.
In the conference, McCowan is seventh in scoring (18.1 ppg) and field goal percentage (57.1 percent) and tops on the glass with 14.2 rpg.
McCowan and Vivians lead Mississippi State to Nashville Thursday for a 7:30 p.m. contest against Vanderbilt on the SEC Network. A win would clinch the Bulldogs a share of their first SEC regular-season title.
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