Bill Text: MS SC657 | 2018 | Regular Session | Engrossed
Bill Title: Congratulate MSU "Lady Bulldogs" Women's Basketball Team for second consecutive NCAA Tournament "Final Four" appearance.
Sponsorship: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 12-3)
Status: (Passed) 2018-04-04 - Enrolled Bill Signed [SC657 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2018-SC657-Engrossed.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2018 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Harkins
Senate Concurrent Resolution 657
(As Adopted by Senate)
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION CONGRATULATING THE MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY "LADY BULLDOGS" WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM AND WBCA "COACH OF THE YEAR" COACH VIC SCHAEFER FOR ADVANCING TO ITS SECOND CONSECUTIVE NCAA TOURNAMENT "FINAL FOUR" APPEARANCE, AND RECOGNIZE TEAIRA MCCOWAN, VICTORIA VIVIANS AND MORGAN WILLIAM AND ALL TEAM MEMBERS FOR A SPECIAL SEASON.
WHEREAS, we join the Mississippi State University "Lady Bulldogs" Women's Basketball Team and all of Bulldog Nation in celebrating another special record-breaking season; and
WHEREAS, Mississippi State is going to another Final Four, the logical next step in a spectacular 2017-2018 season that continues after beating UCLA 89-73 on March 25, 2018 in the Sprint Center in Kansas City. Mississippi State (36-1) built a 42-26 lead by halftime, and fought through the Bruins' second-half rally thanks to stellar performances by Victoria Vivians and Teaira McCowan. The Bulldogs will face Louisville in the semifinal round. After the game, which looked to be on the verge of a rout at halftime only to get within a couple of possessions in the fourth quarter, the Mississippi State Women's Basketball Team did allow itself a few moments of celebration. "Our vision, our focus, our intensity hasn't changed since last year," Coach Schaefer said. "We're intent on trying to do what we didn't get done a year ago"; and
WHEREAS, Victoria Vivians and Teaira McCowan shared the Regional Most Outstanding Player Award, which makes sense since the two worked hand-in-hand. McCowan shot 100 percent from the field at the first regional and she had a double-double before halftime and finished with 23 points and 21 rebounds. Vivians had a game-high 24 points, on 10-of-17 shooting. It did not stop there. Johnson and Morgan William shot UCLA out of a 2-3 zone while combining for 29 points themselves; and
WHEREAS, Coaches around the country took notice of the coaching job Vic Schaefer has done this season at Mississippi State. After guiding the Bulldogs to a historic 2017-2018 season, the Bulldogs' sixth-year Head Coach was named WBCA/United States Marine Corps Division I National Coach of the Year. Three of his players, Teaira McCowan, Victoria Vivians and Morgan William, were named Region Finalists as well. Schaefer and the three standouts guided this season's Bulldog squad to the program's first Southeastern Conference Regular-Season Championship, the first for any women's program at MSU. Mississippi State also advanced to the Sweet 16 for the third straight year after claiming the school's first No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament; and
WHEREAS, with its second-round win against Oklahoma State, this year's squad matched last season's National Finalist team for the most wins in school history with 34. The Bulldogs began the year winning 32-straight games, the second-longest win steak in SEC history. Mississippi State also completed the regular season 30-0, the first SEC team to do so in 20 years. Mississippi State teammates Teaira McCowan and Victoria Vivians were both named to the AP All-SEC Team; McCowan and Vivians were unanimous first-team selections on the all-SEC team; and
WHEREAS, A banner senior season has earned Mississippi State guard Victoria Vivians First Team All-America honors from USA Today, the publication announced Wednesday. The Carthage native became MSU's third first team All-American after scoring a career-best and MSU eight-most 646 points this season, a 19.6 scoring average that ranks third in the SEC. Vivians scored double figures in 32 of the Bulldogs' 33 games this season, including tallying 20 points 15 times and 30 points twice. Vivians helped Mississippi State win its first SEC Regular-Season Championship with a 16-0 conference mark. The 32-1 Bulldogs finished the regular season undefeated, the first SEC team to do so in 20 years. MSU's run of 32-straight wins ranked as the second-longest win steak in conference history. During the historic campaign, Vivians became the third player in MSU history to pass 2,000-career points. With 2,400 points to her time in Starkville, she enters the NCAA Tournament 21 shy of tying Tan White for second at State. Vivians was one of five players named to the first team; and
WHEREAS, after notching the first perfect home record in Humphrey Coliseum history (18-0) the Lady Bulldogs shattered the program attendance record (133,906); and
WHEREAS, the Elite-8 Victory was an inevitable step in a special season. Look at the big picture, and it remains remarkable what this program once was and what it has become. The elite group in women's college basketball is hard to break through, but Mississippi State is on the verge of finding a way to do so; and
WHEREAS, the Mississippi State University 2017-2018 "Lady Bulldogs" Basketball NCAA Tournament Team Roster is: Blair Schaefer, G; Morgan William, G; Myah Taylor, G; Jazzmun Holmes, G; Roshunda Johnson, G; Jacaira Allen, G; Teaira McCowan, C; Nyah Tate, G; Jonika Garvin, G; Bre'Amber Scott, G; Jordan Danberry, G; Zion Campbell, C; Victoria Vivians, G; and Chloe Bibby, F; and Head Coach Vic Schaefer; and
WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize the special accomplishments by these dedicated university athletes who have brought honor to their university, their community and to the State of Mississippi:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby congratulate the Mississippi State University "Lady Bulldogs" Women's Basketball Team and Head Coach Vic Schaefer for advancing to its second consecutive NCAA Tournament "Final Four" appearance, and recognize Teaira McCowan, Victoria Vivians and Morgan William and all team members for a special season.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Coach Vic Schaefer, forwarded to Mississippi State University President Mark E. Keenum and the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.
