Former Mississippi State Women's Basketball Star Teaira McCowan Set to Lead Dallas Wings into WNBA Playoffs

Teaira McCowan has been a driving force for the Dallas Wings heading into postseason play in the WNBA.

Teaira McCowan, a former Mississippi State women's basketball standout and one of the top athletes in program history, has made a name for herself heading into postseason play in her fourth season in the WNBA. 

The third overall selection in the 2019 WNBA Draft has had a successful year for the Dallas Wings after being traded from the Indiana Fever at the end of last season. McCowan has scored an average of 11.0 points in each contest and has pulled down roughly 7.0 rebounds per game. She shines on defense but has proven that she can't be counted out as a consistent scorer. 

The 6-foot-7, 239-pound former Bulldog has been a force to be reckoned with underneath the basket. Although her playing time was limited early in the year, McCowan has made up for it by recording 10 double-doubles since June 17. In early August, she posted five consecutive double-doubles and was named the WNBA Week 12 Western Conference Player of the Week. McCowan's contributions as of late have played a huge role in leading Dallas to an 18-18 overall record. In fact, the team has posted a 9-6 record in games in which the dominant defender has played for at least 20 minutes. 

McCowan and the Wings have found themselves in a solid position heading into the upcoming WNBA Playoffs and have enough momentum to make an unprecedented run to the Finals. Dallas will face off against the Connecticut Sun in the first round of competition on Thursday night. Connecticut has an overall record of 25-11 on the year, making the franchise one of the favorites to win the title.

Much of Dallas' postseason success rests on the shoulders of McCowan. If one of the biggest names in Mississippi State women's basketball history can live up to some big expectations, then the Wings stand a solid chance of knocking the Suns out of the title race early.