Te'a Cooper

Cooper’s Career Game-by-Game Stats (PDF)

Awards

SEC All-Freshman Team (2016, Coaches)
SEC Freshman of the Week (Jan. 26)
 

2015 All-America (McDonald’s, WBCA, USA Today, Parade, Max Preps)
2015 Naismith Award Finalist
 

2015 USA Basketball U19 National Team Trials
2014 USA Basketball U17 World Championship Team
2013 USA Basketball U16 National Team Trials
 
Junior Year (2018-19)

• Earned All-SEC Second-Team honors after leading the Gamecocks with 11.9 points per game and pacing the team in scoring a team-high 12 times
• Ranked 28th in the SEC in scoring both overall and in league play (10.9 ppg) while ranking eighth in the league in free throw percentage overall and in conference play
• Scored in double figures 17 times in 30 games played, recording the Gamecocks’ only 30-point game of the season and five of the team’s 13 20-point games
• Against ranked opponents, averaged a team-high 15.1 points while handing out 2.7 assists per game against ranked foes … combined averages meant she had her hands on 21.2 points per game against ranked teams, accounting for 30.8 percent of the Gamecocks’ offense
• Gave Carolina early edge with 10 first-quarter points in NCAA Tournament second-round game against #25/22 Florida State (Mar. 24), adding a late free throw to help seal the win
• Scored 11 of her team-leading 15 points in the second half in the victory over Belmont (Mar. 22) in NCAA Tournament first round
• Scored or assisted on the first eight points at #4/5 UConn (Feb. 11) on her way to her most efficient shooting night shooting in her career (8-of-10) and 20 points despite playing just 21 minutes due to first-half foul trouble
• Last of three steals at #19/15 Kentucky (Jan. 31) ended 8-2 Wildcat run late in fourth quarter, and last of her 17 points came on a free throw with :02 to play to seal the win
• Aggressive defensively against Vanderbilt (Jan. 28) as three steals all led to Gamecock layups, including two of her own as part of her team-high 18 points
• Sank two buzzer-beater threes at #7/6 Mississippi State, including one to end third quarter and cut deficit to just one point heading into the fourth, on her way to her SEC career-high 27 points
• Scored nine of her 14 points in the first half at LSU (Jan. 13) to build a 22-point lead at halftime
• Snagged two steals in the final minute against Alabama (Jan. 6), including one with :02 left to seal the victory
• Scored 12 of her 24 points in the third quarter and sank a pair of free throws with six seconds to play to close out #21/21 Texas A&M (Jan. 3) on the road
• Averaged 19.3 points at Vancouver Showcase, including posting team’s first 20- and 30-point games of the season against #9/8 Oregon State and Drake, respectively
• Hit both of her 3s against #9/8 Oregon State (Nov. 23) in final 2:33, the last of which tied the game with 25 seconds to play … finished with 22 points, including 14 in the second half as Gamecocks erased an eight-point halftime deficit
• Scored 17, including 15 in the first half, in her Gamecock debut at Alabama State (Nov. 11), 957 days after her last college basketball game

Redshirt-Sophomore Year

• Sat out the season due to transfer rules
• Practiced with the team and traveled to postseason tournaments

Prior to South Carolina

• Spent two seasons at Tennessee, playing in 2015-16 but sitting out 2016-17 with a left knee injury
• Started 15 of her 36 games
• Was fourth on the team in scoring at 8.6 points per game, helping her to SEC All-Freshman Team honors
• Scored in double figures 15 times and was the team’s top scorer four times
• Finished third on the team in steals (43) and assists (74), leading the team in each category 10 times
• Netted 16 points against #9/9 Ohio State (Mar. 25) in the NCAA Sweet 16
• Named SEC Freshman of the Week (Jan. 26)
• Scored a career-high 23 points against ETSU (Dec. 2) on 9-of-18 shooting, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range
• Became one of just six Lady Vol freshman to ever score more than 20 points in her debut, posting 22 against Central Arkansas (Nov. 15)

High School

• Ranked No. 12 in the 2015 Class by ESPN
• Earned All-America honors from McDonald’s, WBCA, USA Today, Parade and Max Preps
• Named co-MVP of the 2015 McDonald’s All-America game
• Finalist for the 2015 Naismith Award
• Tabbed Georgia Sports Writers Association Miss Basketball (2014, 2015), Atlanta Tipoff Club Girls Metro Player of the Year (2014), Atlanta Journal-Constitution Girls’ co-Player of the Year and 6A Player of the Year (2015) and Marietta Daily Journal Cobb County Player of the Year (2014, 2015)
• Picked up Georgia 6A First-Team All-State honors twice (2014, 2015)
• Helped McEachern to three Georgia 6A state titles (2012, 2014, 2015), including a 33-0 undefeated season as a freshman
• Posted 27.3 points, 7.3 assists and 3.5 steals per game as a senior (2014-15)

 
Personal

• Daughter of Kindall and Omar Cooper, has three siblings – Mia and twins Sharife and Omar
• Majoring in interdisciplinary studies