MVCfans.com 2014 Player of the Year and All-MVC teams

[uniftw]

The WSU voters had to vote for somebody.

The numbers DJ put up would easily be put up, and then some, by Baker, Bohannon, Bean, Knight, Buss, etc...

He played over 200 minutes more than anyone else on the roster...over 38 per game
Took 288 more shots than anyone else on the roster...you could add 2nd and 3rd most together and not get his total
7 players on Evansvilles roster, alone, had a higher shooting % than him, was 6th in RPG on the roster, 5th in steals, 2nd most turnovers.


If you take his numbers other than PPG he isn't a All Conference guy...the only reason he gets to that level is because he takes 16 FG attempts per game. He's played nearly 100 more minutes than the next closest guy in the valley

I disagree with you one area you are overlooking is his ability to draw fouls....D.J. 236 FTA, Baker 116 FTA, Bohannon 45 FTA, Beane 99 FTA and Buss 41 FTA my point is this Balentine is not just a great shooter, he is great at his ability to draw fouls, Bohannon and Buss they can shoot but they don't draw fouls, of the guys you mentioned none of them even close to his free throw attempts, does he shoot a lot? yes, but I feel like he would be an all MVC player on any team in the Valley except WSU.

He wouldn't.

DJ gets bailed out on a lot of calls...also gets the benefit of a lot of calls because he is running off of 80 screens (78 of which are illegal) per possession. That leads to a lot of grabbing.

He doesn't get those calls in UNI's system...or SIU...or ISUx2...or...any other system for the same reasons I've already pointed out.

You are right, DJ isn't "just a great shooter"...because he isn't a great shooter.

He shoots more freethrows but his free throw rate isn't even in the top 10 in the conference and if going only off of conference games it is even lower...FWIW...


Go dig into his stats a little more. You'll see rather quickly that other than his gaudy PPG his numbers aren't all that great.

[uniftw]

Minutes
1177 D.J. Balentine (EVAN)
1095 Walt Lemon Jr. (BU)
1050 Anthony Beane Jr. (SIU)
1027 Tyshon Pickett (BU)
1019 Desmar Jackson (SIU)
1000 Christian Thomas (LCU)
995 Blake Simmons (EVAN)
990 Milton Doyle (LCU)
985 Fred Van Vleet (WSU)
978 Auston Barnes (BU)

Points Per 40
23.5 D.J. Balentine (EVAN)
23.0 Cleanthony Early (WSU)
22.8 Desmar Jackson (SIU)
21.8 Jarmar Gulley (MSU)
21.1 Seth Tuttle (UNI)
20.9 Richard Carter (DRAKE)
20.1 Marcus Marshall (MSU)
20.8 Nate Buss (UNI)
20.1 Walt Lemon Jr. (BU)
19.2 Daishon Knight (IllSt)

Offensive efficiency

1 132.12 Fred Van Vleet So 5-11 194 31 Wichita State
2 125.11 Nate Buss Jr 6-9 216 27 Northern Iowa
3 121.38 Bobby Hunter Jr 5-10 190 30 Illinois State
4 121.28 Ron Baker So 6-3 213 31 Wichita State
5 120.95 Matt Bohannon So 6-4 198 30 Northern Iowa
6 120.79 Egidijus Mockevicius So 6-10 225 30 Evansville
7 119.81 Darius Carter Jr 6-7 235 30 Wichita State
8 117.58 Tekele Cotton Jr 6-2 209 31 Wichita State
9 116.38 Seth Tuttle Jr 6-8 232 30 Northern Iowa
10 115.79 Austin Ruder Fr 6-3 196 30 Missouri State
18 111.23 D.J. Balentine So 6-2 210 31 Evansville


2 point %
1 74.93 Tyshon Pickett Sr 6-6 230 31 Bradley
2 72.54 Egidijus Mockevicius So 6-10 225 30 Evansville
3 68.81 Christian Thomas Jr 6-5 220 30 Loyola (Chicago)
4 68.75 Jalen Pendleton So 6-2 205 31 Southern Illinois
5 63.23 Desmar Jackson Sr 6-5 180 31 Southern Illinois
6 63.15 Walt Lemon Jr. Sr 6-3 180 31 Bradley
7 61.77 Seth Tuttle Jr 6-8 232 30 Northern Iowa
8 61.6 Jarmar Gulley Sr 6-5 218 30 Missouri State
9 58.02 Justin Gant Jr 6-9 230 30 Indiana State
10 57.83 Jeff White So 6-1 183 30 Loyola (Chicago)
22 40.52 D.J. Balentine So 6-2 210 31 Evansville


true shooting %
1 66.2 Egidijus Mockevicius So 6-10 225 30 Evansville
2 65.31 Nate Buss Jr 6-9 216 27 Northern Iowa
3 63.13 Bobby Hunter Jr 5-10 190 30 Illinois State
4 61.9 Reggie Lynch Fr 6-10 230 30 Illinois State
5 61.8 Fred Van Vleet So 5-11 194 31 Wichita State
6 61.11 Cleanthony Early Sr 6-8 219 31 Wichita State
7 60.57 Seth Tuttle Jr 6-8 232 30 Northern Iowa
8 60.24 Ron Baker So 6-3 213 31 Wichita State
9 58.7 Matt Bohannon So 6-4 198 30 Northern Iowa
10 58.67 Christian Thomas Jr 6-5 220 30 Loyola (Chicago)
13 57.57 D.J. Balentine So 6-2 210 31 Evansville

Effective FG %
1 63.43 Nate Buss Jr 6-9 216 27 Northern Iowa
2 63.06 Egidijus Mockevicius So 6-10 225 30 Evansville
3 62.33 Reggie Lynch Fr 6-10 230 30 Illinois State
4 57.43 Bobby Hunter Jr 5-10 190 30 Illinois State
5 57.06 Christian Thomas Jr 6-5 220 30 Loyola (Chicago)
6 57.02 Matt Bohannon So 6-4 198 30 Northern Iowa
7 56.25 Aaron Hawley Sr 6-8 197 30 Drake
8 55.23 Fred Van Vleet So 5-11 194 31 Wichita State
9 54.62 Ron Baker So 6-3 213 31 Wichita State
10 54.49 Anthony Beane Jr. So 6-2 180 31 Southern Illinois
20 50.2 D.J. Balentine So 6-2 210 31 Evansville

FG made
1 210 D.J. Balentine So 6-2 210 31 Evansville
2 203 Walt Lemon Jr. Sr 6-3 180 31 Bradley
2 203 Desmar Jackson Sr 6-5 180 31 Southern Illinois
4 163 Anthony Beane Jr. So 6-2 180 31 Southern Illinois
5 162 Jarmar Gulley Sr 6-5 218 30 Missouri State
6 154 Christian Thomas Jr 6-5 220 30 Loyola (Chicago)
7 152 Seth Tuttle Jr 6-8 232 30 Northern Iowa
8 149 Cleanthony Early Sr 6-8 219 31 Wichita State
9 147 Milton Doyle Fr 6-4 180 30 Loyola (Chicago)
10 146 Richard Carter Sr 5-11 177 30 Drake

1 488 D.J. Balentine So 6-2 210 31 Evansville
2 486 Walt Lemon Jr. Sr 6-3 180 31 Bradley
3 431 Desmar Jackson Sr 6-5 180 31 Southern Illinois
4 349 Richard Carter Sr 5-11 177 30 Drake
5 346 Jarmar Gulley Sr 6-5 218 30 Missouri State
6 345 Anthony Beane Jr. So 6-2 180 31 Southern Illinois
6 345 Milton Doyle Fr 6-4 180 30 Loyola (Chicago)
8 337 Daishon Knight Jr 6-1 175 30 Illinois State
9 323 Cleanthony Early Sr 6-8 219 31 Wichita State
10 319 Tyshon Pickett Sr 6-6 230 31 Bradley

He made 7 more shots than Desmar on 57 more shots...WLJ is just as bad as DJ really...but we don't see him getting AC mentions

Free throw rate - measures a player’s ability to get to the line relative to how often he attempts to score
1 80.32 Jake Odum Sr 6-4 180 30 Indiana State
2 66.89 Seth Tuttle Jr 6-8 232 30 Northern Iowa
3 65.9 Egidijus Mockevicius So 6-10 225 30 Evansville
4 63.07 Bobby Hunter Jr 5-10 190 30 Illinois State
5 62.94 Jalen Pendleton So 6-2 205 31 Southern Illinois
6 60.45 Richard Carter Sr 5-11 177 30 Drake
7 57.79 Reggie Lynch Fr 6-10 230 30 Illinois State
8 53.13 Fred Van Vleet So 5-11 194 31 Wichita State
9 50.77 Cleanthony Early Sr 6-8 219 31 Wichita State
10 50.72 Milton Doyle Fr 6-4 180 30 Loyola (Chicago)
11 48.36 D.J. Balentine So 6-2 210 31 Evansville


He's an average shooter that shoots a lot so he puts points up...he isn't really anything special on defense (rebounds, steals, blocks) but does manage a nice A:TO.

Decent player but if he wasn't having every play run for him he wouldn't be all that special.

[Play Angry]

Blake Simmons played 995 minutes?

Whoa.

[GoAcesgo]

Well I'm glad your not the one that names the teams, as far as a great shooter, you ask any coach in the league and they will tell you he is a top 5 shooter, there are a lot of variables but comparing fg% of a guard with a center or forward is dumb, I have no doubt the amount of minutes he played affected his fg% anybody that knows basketball will tell you that, you can spin stats anyway you want, the bottom line is I'm not the only one that thinks he is a good ball player, the state of Indiana did and now the MVC has selected him first team...Congrats D.J good job!!

[havoc]

Decent player but if he wasn't having every play run for him he wouldn't be all that special.

So who do you elevate from one of the lower teams to replace Balentine with? Walt Lemon still plays well above average minutes, doesn't score as much, doesn't shoot better from 1, 2, or 3, turns the ball over more, and doesn't have as many assists. He gets more steals and rebounds.

Anthony Beane is third in minutes, shoots marginally better from 2 and 3, has more turnovers than assits, and averages 6 ppg less.

Desmar Jackson shoots a little better from 2, not near as well from 1 or 3, and has more turnovers than assists. He does rebound the ball pretty well.

Richard Cater doesn't shoot as well from 1, 2, or 3 and has fewer assists and nearly the same turnovers.

To me, it doesn't seem like anyone really got robbed by having Balentine placed on the first time rather than them.

[shocktheheart]

Decent player but if he wasn't having every play run for him he wouldn't be all that special.

So who do you elevate from one of the lower teams to replace Balentine with? Walt Lemon still plays well above average minutes, doesn't score as much, doesn't shoot better from 1, 2, or 3, turns the ball over more, and doesn't have as many assists. He gets more steals and rebounds.

Anthony Beane is third in minutes, shoots marginally better from 2 and 3, has more turnovers than assits, and averages 6 ppg less.

Desmar Jackson shoots a little better from 2, not near as well from 1 or 3, and has more turnovers than assists. He does rebound the ball pretty well.

Richard Cater doesn't shoot as well from 1, 2, or 3 and has fewer assists and nearly the same turnovers.

To me, it doesn't seem like anyone really got robbed by having Balentine placed on the first time rather than them.

Tekele Cotton should be on the first team before DJ

[Cdizzle]

Decent player but if he wasn't having every play run for him he wouldn't be all that special.

So who do you elevate from one of the lower teams to replace Balentine with? Walt Lemon still plays well above average minutes, doesn't score as much, doesn't shoot better from 1, 2, or 3, turns the ball over more, and doesn't have as many assists. He gets more steals and rebounds.

Anthony Beane is third in minutes, shoots marginally better from 2 and 3, has more turnovers than assits, and averages 6 ppg less.

Desmar Jackson shoots a little better from 2, not near as well from 1 or 3, and has more turnovers than assists. He does rebound the ball pretty well.

Richard Cater doesn't shoot as well from 1, 2, or 3 and has fewer assists and nearly the same turnovers.

To me, it doesn't seem like anyone really got robbed by having Balentine placed on the first time rather than them.

2 things.

1. There are 6 guys on a 5 man list. So, you don't have to elevate anyone in order to replace him.
2. Tekele Cotton all day long and 9 times on gameday.

I was well aware that 1st team was going to be 3 WSU players, and then Tuttle and Odum. Tuttle very deservedly. Odum for some sort of lifetime-achievement award even though he received that award last year.

I heard a fair number of people wanting to put Cotton on 1st team, but probably didn't have room in the Top 5. I get that. But I'm pretty sure if you're filling a 6-man 1st team ballot, Cotton should be above Balentine.

[havoc]

I heard a fair number of people wanting to put Cotton on 1st team, but probably didn't have room in the Top 5. I get that. But I'm pretty sure if you're filling a 6-man 1st team ballot, Cotton should be above Balentine.

Cotton scored 12 points per game less than DJ and got to the line less than half of the times DJ did well shooting 16% less. They had very similar A/T ratios and FG%.

Cotton rebounded the ball better and had more steals than Balentine. The only conference only stats Cotton was in the top 10 in where steals (4th) and minutes played (10th). Those don't sound like 1st team numbers to me.

[Cdizzle]

I heard a fair number of people wanting to put Cotton on 1st team, but probably didn't have room in the Top 5. I get that. But I'm pretty sure if you're filling a 6-man 1st team ballot, Cotton should be above Balentine.

Cotton scored 12 points per game less than DJ and got to the line less than half of the times DJ did well shooting 16% less. They had very similar A/T ratios and FG%.

Cotton rebounded the ball better and had more steals than Balentine. The only conference only stats Cotton was in the top 10 in where steals (4th) and minutes played (10th). Those don't sound like 1st team numbers to me.

9th place in the conference doesn't sound like a place a 1st teamer would finish either. There is more to the game of basketball than scoring points.

[agrinut]

I'm a homer but I think Gulley deserved first team honors ov DJ. Balentine can score, that is it. DJ is a high volume shooter with moderate return. Evansville has become a gimmick team and will expire nice gimmick like results until the return to D2/Horizon or fire Marty.