Any doubt about B1G POTY and COTY?

Submitted by superstringer on

Hard to see Nik and Coach B not winning Player and Coach of the Year in the B1G, respectively.  With us likely to have a 2-game margin of victory in the final standings, I don't think voters could rationalize any other candidates.

POTY:  Who if not Nik now, who has clearly overcome that mid-season mini-slump.  Last night's game felt like a coronation for him.  Harris is the best player on Staee and has had some good games (his 31 against us stands out to me), but given how Staee has plummeted, no way he wins.  Sconie is a two-headed horse; Dekker and Kaminsky are both very good, but neither is really all that better than the other, so they sort of cancel each other out.  Petteway at UNL has had a great year but is he really going to overtake Nik?  Of course, I leave off Craft, who clearly is the best player in the country, according to Dan Dakich.

COTY:  Only Tim Miles at UNL would seem to have any kind of possible claim to this title.  But with us blowing out the field, given all we've lost, clearly Coach B is going to win this award.*

* Although it remains true that Izzo, without a doubt, did the best coaching job in the conference this year.  Have you seen the injuries they've had to overcome?  At various points this season, they had in their starting lineup:  (1) their women's team; (2) three walk-ons, a student manager, and a cheerleader, (3) Max Bullough -- unaided by dietary supplements; and (4) his unborn great-grandchild.  In fact, of his 14 scholarship players, he's had 23 scholarship players hospitalized this season -- yes, even players who don't play for him.  And yet, they have overcome all of that!  Amazing job, Izzo, just... you aren't going to win.

Raoul

March 5th, 2014 at 11:00 AM ^

There are several national coach of the year awards given out, and while sometimes a coach sweeps them all, it's more common for two or more to split them. I could see Beilein winning at least one of them, perhaps the one awarded by the NABC given how respected he is in the coaching community.

JHendo

March 5th, 2014 at 12:15 PM ^

Beilein is certainly not going to win that.  I'm thinking Tony Bennett from Virginia.  WSU season's was amazing to say the least, but I don't know a soul who thought Virginia would have such an incredible season and take the ACC regular season crown (or even compete for it for that matter).

lbpeley

March 5th, 2014 at 10:51 AM ^

see Stauskas betting B1G POY but COTY would be pretty surprising for Belein. Not that he doesn't deserve it, but...

Side note: I heard one of the announcers last night (Dakich?) say Craft got B1G player of the decade. Was he joking?

Edit: Dammit. I let the other posters' replies throw me off. You meant B1G COTY for Beilein. I can absolutely see him getting B1G COTY. The only other coach who could possibly deserve it is Miles.

mGrowOld

March 5th, 2014 at 10:53 AM ^

No Dakish wasnt joking when he said Craft should win B1G Player of the Decade.  In fact, I think he's a tremendously deserving candidate given the high level he's been playing at for Ohio State for these past 10 years.

MGoblu8

March 5th, 2014 at 10:54 AM ^

I think he was saying people would be surprised that he wasn't voting for Craft for player of the decade, insinuating that he loves Craft. He went on to say he has not been good offensively, which is why he wouldn't include him in the All B1G team.

youn2948

March 5th, 2014 at 10:54 AM ^

Unless it has been said elsewhere we've been all over him for having verbal intercourse/trying to seduce Craft with kind words.

I don't remember if it was the other announcer mocking Dakich or him taking a sarcastic jab at himself.  I DO NOT think he was being serious FWIW.

Space Coyote

March 5th, 2014 at 11:14 AM ^

Though Petteway is in there as well. Marble has somewhat similar numbers in B1G play, lower scoring effiency, but is also their primary defender I believe. Iowa has struggled lately though, which may hamper his case.

Gobgoblue

March 5th, 2014 at 10:51 AM ^

but just one bone to pick with the OP. while I think Nik clearly deserves the Big Ten player of the Year, one would have to be crazy biased to not see that Gary Harris is a better overall talent.

Indiana Blue

March 5th, 2014 at 11:00 AM ^

that can't hit a clutch free throw.  No spartan deserve any award, other that the "baby crying award" for coach izzo.   They failed miserably this season and all anyone heard was excuses.

Here's the stats ....  Harris FG-42%, 3pt-34%  vs, Nik  FG-49%, 3pt- 46%

Sorry but the facts are that Harris was NOT POY this season!

Go Blue! 

Space Coyote

March 5th, 2014 at 11:18 AM ^

I don't see the argument where the OP said that Nik was clearly better than Harris, just that he deserved POY over him. Harris has his own problems, including consistency, but his upside is really high, he has a nice pure shot, athletic enough to get to the bucket, and rebounds well. He's just not as consistent as Nik (who hasn't always been consistent), and that's why he's not in the conversation over Nik, as the OP basically said (combined with MSU's downward trend to close the season).

MGoLogan

March 5th, 2014 at 10:52 AM ^

I'd say Beilein has wrapped up Big Ten COY and is a top 3 or 4 candidate for National COY.  As far as Big Ten Player of the Year, I really don't see how anyone but Stauskas can justifiably win it.  

On a somewhat related note, I think Stauskas, LeVert and Robinson will be All-Big Ten and Irvin and Walton will both be All-Big Ten Freshman team members.

MGoLogan

March 5th, 2014 at 11:28 AM ^

I just meant any All-Big Ten team for Robinson.  I would guess Stauskas is on the 1st team, LeVert on the 2nd and Robinson on the 3rd.  I was trying to come up with who would deserve it more than Irvin but am struggling. I just don't see 5 other freshman that have put up better numbers than Irvin, especially when you consider the limited minutes he has played this year.

michclub19

March 5th, 2014 at 12:21 PM ^

While I agree Irvin deserves to make the team:  6 Freshman have won the B1G Freshman of the Week:  Irvin, Walton, Noah Vonleh (IU), Bryson Scott (Pur), Kendrick Nunn (Ill), Nigel Hayes (UW).  If the conference tries to reward as many teams as possible, Irvin might be the odd man out.

And don't forget about Basil Smotherman, I'm pulling for him as a darkhorse because I always root to see that name anywhere     /s

Raoul

March 5th, 2014 at 11:24 AM ^

For the women's all–Big Ten teams announced earlier this week, the conference changed from naming first, second, and third teams of five players each to naming just a first and second team each consisting of ten players. I'm assuming they'll do the same for the men, so this is something to consider when predicting who'll be on the first team.

Evil Empire

March 5th, 2014 at 11:32 AM ^

I'll grant that men's college players are probably criticized too harshly, given they are young and (usually) having to attend college classes.  Commentary on women's sports in general swings far to the other side, with virtually no criticism of players or coaches.  Imagine Dick Vitale calling a women's game, it would be sensational.

Next year there will be 15 players on the first team for women's hoops.

MGoLogan

March 5th, 2014 at 11:34 AM ^

Really?  I seem to remember pretty much every analyst saying UM was an NIT type team after Mitch went down, along with many UM fans.  And here I was gonna say Tony Bennett deserves National COY over JB, but you ruined that :) (kidding obviously).

In all seriourness, I would be shocked if Beilein doesn't win Big Ten COY, UM fan or not.  With that said, if Nebraska wins at IU and beats Wisconsin at home, I will certainly admit I was wrong and agree with you.  Nebraska had a very favorable Big Ten schedule as they only had to play MSU, Wisconsin and Iowa one time.   

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

March 5th, 2014 at 11:49 AM ^

The McGary aspect is a good point, considering the preseason predictions were made with his presence assumed.

Problem is, the media has already latched onto to Sparty as the injury narrative team.

Still, the award almost always seems to go to whoever outpaces preseason expectations the most.  Izzo will get the overcoming-injury vote (I know this is stupid, I'm just saying) and Miles will get the overachieved-expectations vote.  I would honestly not be blown away to see Beilein come in third.

MGoLogan

March 5th, 2014 at 11:59 AM ^

You make a solid case for Miles and a good point about injuries/Izzo.  I remember back before Big Ten play started where Kenpom had predicted Nebraska would lose every conference game.  The fact that they have a chance to finish with a winning record in conference play is extremely impressive. 

Raoul

March 5th, 2014 at 12:54 PM ^

The media isn't as bad as you paint it to be, and most will take into account the changed expectations mid-season, shown in the above. I think Izzo will get little consideration for coach of the year. And I think finishing 1st instead of 6th trumps finishing 5th instead of 10th.