Mid-Season Awards

[glm38]

Agree with Gulley on 1st team and over Balentine. Balentine is very good but Gulley is just a better all around player. Gulley has been playing as well as anyone so far in the conference season.

[Aargh]

I thought Most Improved Player might be a trick question. The only trick was - is VanVleet actually better this year than last? Just because he didn't play a lot last year and he's playing a lot this year doesn't mean he's improved over last year. It only means that a spot on his team opened up.

Going from "role player" to potential AA might get some consideration for Most Improved. I'm not certain that "most improved" is as accurate as "most improved opportunity" for VanVleet. I'm confident Fred would not be offended if the voters recognized he isn't that much improved from last year, but was waiting his turn on a team that has had some pretty fair PG's for more than a few years.

[rlh04d]

I thought Most Improved Player might be a trick question. The only trick was - is VanVleet actually better this year than last? Just because he didn't play a lot last year and he's playing a lot this year doesn't mean he's improved over last year. It only means that a spot on his team opened up.

Going from "role player" to potential AA might get some consideration for Most Improved. I'm not certain that "most improved" is as accurate as "most improved opportunity" for VanVleet. I'm confident Fred would not be offended if the voters recognized he isn't that much improved from last year, but was waiting his turn on a team that has had some pretty fair PG's for more than a few years.

His ability as a ball handler is significantly improved this year. He struggled a lot with turnovers at least the first half of last year.

[Wufan]

I'm going to rightly or wrongly assume WSU in first, ISU in second, and MSU and UNI to avoid Thursday. Drake, LUC, and UE are Thursday night teams and one of SIU, BU, and IlSU will join them.

Here's my first and second team All-Conference:

Early (POY)
VanVleet
Odum
Tuttle
Jackson if SIU avoids Thursday. Lemon if BU avoids Thursday and SIU does not.

Either Jackson or Lemon
Gulley
Baker
Ballentine
Arop

Beane on the bubble

All Freshman Team:

Doyle (FOY)
Ruder
Lynch
Lee
Morgan

Gibson on the bubble

All Newcomer Team:

Knight (NCOY)
Doyle
Hunter
Washpun
Carter
Mvouika on the bubble

All-Bench Team:

Smith (6th man)
Pendleton
Carter
(Mvouika if he qualifies)
Wiggins

Most Improved:

Lufile

COY:

Marshall

DPOY:

Cotton

[achrist70]

These aren't bad, but it looks like Buss will qualify for 6th man of the year, I have to think he wins that. Other than that these look pretty good.

[Wufan]

These aren't bad, but it looks like Buss will qualify for 6th man of the year, I have to think he wins that. Other than that these look pretty good.

You are correct! When I last looked at this, he appeared to be the starter going forward. Now post injury, I believe he will be eligible. Buss and Smith will be close for 6th man. If Mvouika qualifies (can start one more game I believe) then Wiggins gets bumped.

[Sycamore_DevilDog]

Khristian Smith will be 6th Man.

[ABC]

If WSU goes undefeated, there will be a strong case for three WSU players on the first team: Early, Van Vleet and Baker. This is true especially if the margin of victory continues to be so high.

As one point of reference, the undefeated Indiana teams of the mid 1970s had FOUR players on the Big 10's first team.

[Wufan]

If WSU goes undefeated, there will be a strong case for three WSU players on the first team: Early, Van Vleet and Baker. This is true especially if the margin of victory continues to be so high.

As one point of reference, the undefeated Indiana teams of the mid 1970s had FOUR players on the Big 10's first team.

I agree that there is a case to be made for the three WSU players on first team, but…There is also the chance that Ron Baker and VanVleet split votes and neither makes the first team.

[jturner38]

These aren't bad, but it looks like Buss will qualify for 6th man of the year, I have to think he wins that. Other than that these look pretty good.

You are correct! When I last looked at this, he appeared to be the starter going forward. Now post injury, I believe he will be eligible. Buss and Smith will be close for 6th man. If Mvouika qualifies (can start one more game I believe) then Wiggins gets bumped.

They are neck and neck and it may come down to that Buss missed some games and K. Smih has not.