Valley Player of the Year

[glm38]

I don't think you can draw any conclusions about Stutz not being a top rate post and that he will struggle against BCS posts in the big dance based on 2 games against Echenique. Echenique may just have his number? I saw him play very well in the NIT against some pretty good post players.

And I think the same thing was said about Egleseder? He proved in UNI's sweet 16 run that he could compete.

[bluejays89]

... led us to being ranked for at least a month straight, etc.

The other side of that coin is that he then led the Jays on a 3-game skid that cost them the conference championship and dropped them out of the top 25. If anyone other than McD gets PoY, that 3-game skid is the reason.

The problem with being the "leader" is that you are held responsible for negative results as well as positive results. Voters often look at who put the team on their back, refused to lose, and led them to a championship.

I'm mentally prepared for McD to get PoY and will only be mildly disappointed if it doesn't go to Stutz. I would be disappointed if the voters gave it to a player because the team had a weak OOC schedule, which inflated a player's stats compared to other players who had a more difficult OOC schedule.

Completely unfair to blame McDermott for three consecutive Creighton losses, stats from those games:
UNI: 18 points (7-11), 12 rebounds, cold shooting costs Creighton.
E-ville: 21 points (7-16), 8 rebounds, again cold shooting sinks Creighton.
WSU: 13 points (5-13), 6 rebounds, truly his worst game but Wichita was just the better team.
Average: 17.33 points, 48% FG%, 8.67 rebounds

Creighton as a team went 0-3 not just McDermott.

[Aargh]

Might be unfair to blame McD (the younger) for CU's skid, but at the same time CU was tanking, Stutz absolutely carried the Shox to a couple of wins and had a comparable game to McD in the CU matchup. So, which player is more valuable? The guy who really gave his team a boost to win some critical games, or the guy who had average or below average games while his team went into a tailspin?

Historically, the voters have gone with the guy on the winning team. That doesn't mean they will this year, but don't be surprised if they vote that way again. Stutz is putting enough good games together and getting enough stats to justify going with him.

With the way the Shox are separating from the rest of the league (2 game lead over 2nd, 5 game lead over 3rd) expect the Shox to get 2 on 1st team, CoY, and PoY. It's not too tough to make the argument that Stutz, Murry, and Ragland all deserve a 1st team selection, but voting politics won't allow 3 from the same school on the All-Valley 1st team.

[dannyobyrne]

I fully expect McDermott to be an All-American and Stutz to win Player of the Year, because that sounds about par for the course in the Valley.

[DoubleJayAlum]

Might be unfair to blame McD (the younger) for CU's skid, but at the same time CU was tanking, Stutz absolutely carried the Shox to a couple of wins and had a comparable game to McD in the CU matchup. So, which player is more valuable?

It is okay to advocate for your guy, but don't make up facts.

In the two games between Creighton and WSU this year, here are the combined numbers: Stutz: 13pts, 5 rebs; McDermott: 25 pts, 13 rebs. McDermott had almost twice as many point and more than twice as many rebounds. They aren't even close.

[DoubleJayAlum]

I just have a problem giving the POY award to the biggest defensive liability in the league. I don't know about shocker fans, but as a Bears fan it sure was fun watching Stutz and Patterson go at it last night. Best MVC post play I have seen. You just can't say that about McD he can score and rebound but that is about it.

I watched Stutz foul the heck out of Echenique in two games because he couldn't keep up with him. He sure didn't seem like a very good defensive player in those games and was a huge liability - proven by the fact that WSU was actually a better team in both games while Stutz was on the bench.

While we are at it, Echenique should be defensive POY in the league.

[DoubleJayAlum]

I fully expect McDermott to be an All-American and Stutz to win Player of the Year, because that sounds about par for the course in the Valley.

[JaysOnJays]

Might be unfair to blame McD (the younger) for CU's skid, but at the same time CU was tanking, Stutz absolutely carried the Shox to a couple of wins and had a comparable game to McD in the CU matchup. So, which player is more valuable? The guy who really gave his team a boost to win some critical games, or the guy who had average or below average games while his team went into a tailspin?

And you don't think Doug didn't carry the team earlier in the year? You are looking at a three game stretch where he averaged 5 points under his average. When teams started keying on him he stopped scoring so much and focused more on dishing the ball out to open shooters, which worked because they were hitting the shots. But then the three game skid happened where the threes that everyone had been hitting stopped falling. When the threes stopped it forced Doug to try to make something on his own leading to a lower FG %. If Creighton could have made 40% of their threes they only lose to Wichita.

[2livewu]

DoubleJay seems to be getting very chippy since his Jays fell 2 games behind WSU. Haters gonna hate I guess.


For what it's worth, I think it's worth discussing (I wouldn't have said that 3 weeks ago). It's an 18 game schedule, and it SHOULD be based only on Valley games. I have no idea if it actually is based just on Valley games.

If it turns out to be a runaway for Doug, then voters made up their minds in November and December.

If they go by what they actually see, I'd find it hard to think Garrett doesn't get at least half the votes (and then some) from anyone at Evansville, Missouri State, Bradley and Indiana State. Even UNI had their hands full. ISU probably not so much. Drake too, but both have round 2 to deal with still. I suspect SIU will go for Doug. The question is, and it's a fairly important one, where do WSU and Creighton voters go?

Unless I am wrong, voters can't vote for their guy. Does CU vote for Colt Ryan so as to help Doug, and does WSU do the same?

I think each school has 4 votes, SID, Radio, Beat writer and 1 more (is it the coach?). I feel certain Doug gets 3 if not all 4 of WSU's votes. It will be interesting to see the tally, especially if Garrett finishes the last 2 games strong.

I also think it's possible Joe takes some of Garrett's WSU votes, thereby hurting Garrett against Doug. And Joe probably deserves those votes, so it's not like a conspiracy.

[TrueBlueJay]

It's an 18 game schedule, and it SHOULD be based only on Valley games. I have no idea if it actually is based just on Valley games.

Why?

Should a player that averaged 5 pts in the pre-conference and 20 pts in conference be considered?

Should a player on a team that went 2-10 in non-coference but wins the conference be considered?

I don't understand the obsession with WSU fans pimping for Stutz so bad.

At this point I kind of hope Doug does get 2nd or 3rd team All American and doesn't win POY in the Valley.