Thursday, February 2, 2012

Leading Contenders for Major Conference POYs


ACC:
1)      Mike Scott, Virginia
2)      Tyler Zeller, North Carolina
3)      Terrell Stoglin, Maryland
4)      Michael Snaer, Florida State
5)      Kendall Marshall/Harrison Barnes/John Henson, North Carolina

Notes: Barring suspension or major injury, this award is Mike Scott’s to lose. He has been an absolute beast and the model of consistency during ACC play. Zeller is coming on strong with 5 double doubles in his last 6 and Snaer is averaging 18ppg in his last 5. Although Marshall and Barnes are great on the offensive end, their inability to defend ANYBODY makes them non-factors for this award. This will likely be the first time in almost a decade that a Duke player does not make first team All-ACC.

SEC:
1)      Anthony Davis, Kentucky
2)      Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky
3)      John Jenkins, Vanderbilt
4)      Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State
5)      Kenny Boynton, Florida

Notes – Although Davis still can’t create his own shot on offense, he is the most fearsome defensive presence (averaging 10rpg and almost 5bpg) to come through college basketball since Emeka Okafor and he alters games on both ends of the floor. MKG and Moultrie do it all for their respective teams and Jenkins and Boynton are scoring at an impressive clip (20ppg and 17ppg, respectively) but don’t have a strong enough all-around game for consideration for the top spot.  

Big East:
1)      Kevin Jones, West Virginia
2)      Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette
3)      Herb Pope, Seton Hall
4)      Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut
5)      Kris Joseph, Syracuse

Notes - There is a clear Top-2 in the Big East and a very big drop-off after Jones and Johnson-Odom. Both players are former glue-guys who have put their teams on their backs during their senior years. Jones puts up better all-around stats (21 and 12) but Johnson-Odom has been fierce in Big East play (averaging 18ppg on the season) and has Marquette sitting in second place in the league at 8-2. Joseph is included because he is the best player on the best team, but you could put multiple Cuse guys in this position.

Big Ten
1)      Jared Sullinger, Ohio State
2)      Draymond Green, Michigan State
3)      Cody Zeller, Indiana
4)      Trey Burke, Michigan
5)      John Shurna, Northwestern

Notes - Sully came into the season as the favorite to win Big Ten player of the year honors and he hasn’t disappointed. The slimmed down big man continues to be virtually unguardable in the post and is letting the game come to him, putting up an efficient 17 and 10 on only 11 shots per game. Draymond Green has been equally as impressive, leading Michigan State in virtually all categories (1st in scoring, rebounding, blocks and steals, second in assists), but his injury against Illinois could sideline the big fella. Zeller and Burke are having dynamite freshman seasons in leading their teams to the top half of the league, while Shurna leads the league in scoring at 19ppg.

Big 12
1)      Thomas Robinson, Kansas
2)      Ricardo Radcliffe, Missouri
3)      J’Covan Brown, Texas
4)      Royce White, Iowa State
5)      Perry Jones, Baylor

Notes - Robinson is probably the leading candidate for the Wooden Award and has taken over the reins from the Morris twins with style by leading Kansas back to the top of the conference. He is averaging 18ppg and is second in the nation with 12rpg, while playing against some of the better big men in the country in the Big 12. Ricardo Radcliff has had one of the most efficient seasons in recent memory, leading the nation with an absurd 75% FG percentage and averaging 15ppg and 7rpg. Perry Jones has been the biggest individual disappointment in college basketball this season, but sneaks in to the top 5.

Pac-12
NA – league should be considered Mid-Major

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