Wings' McCowan dominant in team's recent success

The team's recent five-game winning streak can be contributed to center Teaira McCowan.

Photo by Landon Thomas

The Dallas Wings have clinched a playoff berth and scheduled to play the Connecticut Sun in the first round. Over the past two weeks, the team has gone 5-2. Some key victories have included beating the number one-seeded Chicago Sky, and two-seeded Las Vegas Aces. With all-star Arike Ogunbowale out, other players have stepped up.

One of the team’s key contributors has been center Teaira McCowan.

Over the past two months, she has averaged eight double-doubles. In August she solidified those numbers averaging 16.3 points and 12.1 rebounds. Her best game came against the Aces, where she tallied 21 points and 16 rebounds. With less than 12 seconds left in the game, McCowan made the game-winning layup to put the team up by two.

Back in March, Dallas traded three first-round trade picks to acquire McCowan. Analysts criticized the deal, believing that acquiring her added to their crowded front court. Others felt the Wings gave up too much.

However you see it, McCowan has done an excellent job draining out the noise.

CBSsports.com reports that McCowan struggled in the beginning to find any sort of identity with the Wings.

“The reigning Western Conference Player of the Week barely played when she first got to Dallas,” wrote Jack Maloney. “Through the first four months of the season, there was confusion about why the team traded for her if she wasn’t going to play.”

One reason for the turnaround is the increased communication between her and the team. Her ability to assist with the pick and roll on high screens has been a pivotal part of her game. She does an excellent job dragging defenders away from her teammates and giving them extra space down the floor.

McCowan has done an excellent job outplaying her opponents. Against Sky’s Candance Parker, McCowan outperformed her in two of the three main categories and held her to eight points on zero percent shooting from three.

She ranks 13th in the league in rebounding and is on pace to eclipse last season’s field goal percentage.

With the playoffs underway, look for Dallas to rely on McCowan and her double-double performance. If she can continue her dominance, the Wings should have no trouble causing chaos in the playoffs. The Wings’ first-round match-up begins Thursday against the Connecticut Sun.