Teaira McCowan and Victoria Vivians are joining forces once again and this time on the professional level.
McCowan, Mississippi State's All-American center, became the seventh Bulldog ever selected in the WNBA Draft on Wednesday when the Indiana Fever selected her third overall. She’s the fifth player picked in the first round in MSU history joining LaToya Thomas (2003), Tan White (2005), Chanel Mokango (2010) and Vivians (2018).
“It’s amazing,” McCowan said. “Just being drafted was a high honor and I feel like I can help this team with my size and rebounding and protecting the rim. The new coaching staff has met with me a few times this year and they really like what I bring to the table so I’m excited about the opportunity.”
The selection caps an amazing career for McCowan in which she was a two-time All-American, two-time SEC and NCAA Defensive Player of the Year and the SEC Player of the Year in 2018-19. She ended her State career as the leading rebounder in school history (1,502) and second leading shot blocker (271) while also finishing fourth in school history in scoring (1,942).
As a senior, McCowan averaged 18.4 points, 13.5 rebounds and 2.4 blocks. She had 70 career double-doubles and totaled 30 in her senior season.
Now, she heads off into her career as a pro player.
The Fever are becoming a favorite among MSU fans. They drafted Vivians last season in the first round with the eighth pick and she produced a strong rookie season scoring 8.9 points per game and starting 26 of the 34 games. Vivians isn’t the only player that has worn a Fever jersey. White was drafted second overall in 2005 and Armelie Lumanu was picked 23rd overall in the second round in 2010.
The two will delay their playing career together until next season, however. McCowan will be playing this season in Indiana while Vivians is rehabbing. The former MSU All-American guard injured her knee playing overseas in Israel last month and will be out for the 2019 season.
“It’s great that me and Tori can be on the floor again,” McCowan said. “One reason I was really hoping that I fell to Indiana was the chance to play with her again. We had some great times at MSU and I’m looking forward to getting to play with her again after she rehabs from her injury.”
With the her career now finished at MSU, McCowan reflects on her time that included four NCAA Tournaments, a Sweet 16 finish, an Elite 8 finish and two trips to the Final Four where MSU played for a national championships. She also was one of three players that secured 132 career wins which was a school record.
Her development with the Bulldogs was most notable and she gives all of the credit to her coaches for having a plan for her.
“Coach (Vic) Schaefer and coach (Johnnie) Harris pushed me throughout my four years,” McCowan said. “Going in, I had to have an open mind and work hard. I feel like they got the best out of me and I reached my full potential.”
Along with McCowan being selected in the draft was Anriel Howard, taken 24th overall and in the second round by the Seattle Storm. Howard came to MSU from Texas A&M and shined in her one year with the Bulldogs. She was named a First-Team All-SEC member in her only season with MSU.
Howard came to Starkville as the second-leading rebounder in the SEC and A&M’s all-time champ in boards and she helped create a dynamic duo in the post that was unrivaled in the SEC this season. Howard averaged 16.4 points and 8.4 rebounds, but most importantly she expanded her game to include an outside shot as she made 29-of-86 3-pointers which more than doubled her career numbers coming into her senior season.
The two selections take MSU to eight drafted players in school history and it’s just the second time ever that they’ve had multiple players picked, joining the 2010 season when they had three selections.
