Cowher Power

Opponents be warned: The 2007-08 edition of senior forward Meagan Cowher promises to be better than ever. In the past, opposing teams often tried to counter Cowher's athleticism around the basket by forcing her to shoot with her left hand.

"The scouting report on Meg used to be that she couldn't go left," first-year head coach Courtney Banghart said.

Banghart would know, having coached against Cowher the past three seasons as an assistant at Dartmouth. Upon arrival, Banghart made it a focal point to develop Cowher's post-play arsenal.

"From the moment she stepped on campus this year, we told Meg that she didn't have a right hand," Banghart said. "Our post-play coach Melanie Halker took it upon herself to help Meg improve her post game. She's already much better with her back to the basket."

Those words should put a scare into any Ivy League foe, considering that last year Cowher averaged 17.7 points per game en route to a Princeton record 496 points for the season. This year, Cowher seems poised to build on that total, as she can now combine her improved post repertoire with her ability to score in transition and off screens.

"Meg could score 25 points a game this year," Banghart said. "We're really fortunate to have someone that good in the interior."

Cowher's presence as an imminent threat to score whenever she touches the ball also lightens the load of the rest of the team.

"It takes a lot of pressure off the other players on our team when you have someone like Meg [who] can score so easily," Banghart said. "Meg's presence on the floor also creates a lot of openings for other players on our team since she draws so many double-teams when she has the ball."

Learning how to pass out of these double teams will be one of Cowher's biggest challenges. If Cowher masters the art of passing out of the double team, then the rest of the Tiger offense should benefit.

"When a good player learns how to pass out of a double team, that's one of the ways that they can make their team great," Banghart said.

Cowher's strong work ethic should serve her well as she aims to add this skill to her arsenal.

"Meg is smart, easy to coach and one of our best workers," Banghart said.

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"That's a really great combination to have from such a talented player."

While Cowher will work on passing out of the double team, she still plans to do much of her damage by putting the ball in the basket.

"I told Meg that when she gets the ball, she has to shoot five times for every one pass," Banghart said.

"I also want her to shoot whenever she has the ball in the low post."

Judging by the trajectory of her past three seasons, this season could be a record-breaking year for Cowher. In her past three campaigns, Cowher's totals in points, rebounds, field goals made and free-throw percentage have steadily increased.

Due to this proficiency, Cowher has already cemented herself in the Princeton record book.

She is currently 11th on the all-time scoring list with 1,139 points, fourth in career points per game with 14.8, ninth in field goals made with 445 and eighth in free throws made with 240.

In addition to these totals, Cowher has earned All-Ivy honors in each of her three seasons. In 2005, Cowher became the first Ivy League Rookie of the Year in Princeton's history. She followed this performance by being named first-team All-Ivy League in 2006 and 2007. Cowher's on-court exploits have already placed her in rare company. Last season, she scored 31 points against Columbia and 35 against Cornell in back-to-back games.

With this accomplishment, she joined Bill Bradley '65 as the only Princeton basketball players, male or female, to score 30 points in consecutive games.

With the improvements she has made this fall, Cowher seems primed to continue her way up the Princeton record books. Cowher's improved post play and her ability to pass out of double teams will propel Princeton in its quest for the Ivy League.

If all goes according to plan, the 2007-08 campaign could be a historic one for both Cowher and the Tigers.