Trey Burke (media) and Cody Zeller (coaches) named B1G FoY

Submitted by DeuceInTheDeuce on

 

From theonlycolors:

ALL-BIG TEN FIRST TEAM

Draymond Green, MSU
John Shurna, Northwestern
Jared Sullinger, OSU
Robbie Hummel, Purdue
Jordan Taylor, Wisconsin (coaches only)
Tim Frazier, Penn State (media only)

ALL-BIG TEN SECOND TEAM

Cody Zeller, Indiana
Trey Burke, Michigan
William Buford, OSU
DeShaun Thomas, OSU (coaches) Matt Gatens, Iowa (media)
Tim Frazier (coaches), Jordan Taylor (media)

ALL-BIG TEN THIRD TEAM

Keith Appling, MSU
Tim Hardaway Jr., Michigan
Drew Crawford, Northwestern
Matt Gatens (coaches), DeShaun Thomas (media)
Brandon Paul, Illinois (coaches), Aaron Craft, OSU (media)

CO-FRESHMEN OF THE YEAR: Trey Burke (media), Cody Zeller (coaches)

ALL-BIG TEN FRESHMAN TEAM

Trey Burke
Cody Zeller
Branden Dawson, MSU
Aaron White, Iowa
Dave Sobolewski, Northwestern

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Aaron Craft

ALL DEFENSIVE TEAM

Aaron Craft
Draymond Green
Tim Frazier
Victor Oladipo, Indiana
Josh Gasser, Wisconsin

SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: D.J. Byrd, Purdue

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Draymond Green, MSU

COACH OF THE YEAR: Tom Izzo, MSU

 

 

Butterfield

March 5th, 2012 at 7:36 PM ^

Izzo?  SRSLY?!? 

P.S.  This reminded me of the banner with the laser cat and "head asplode" and Hoke from last CC.  It's off-thread, obviously, but can somebody post that as a reply so I can get a couple laughs?

Tater

March 5th, 2012 at 7:42 PM ^

Izzo's team was expected to do more than Beilein's was. Beilein won a share of the title without a player in the top five, while both MSU and Ohio had one.  Beilein should have run away with this award.  

This is another example of how the media and fellow coaches  (not to mention the refs) kiss Tom Izzo's ass when they really should know better.

 

Tater

March 5th, 2012 at 7:47 PM ^

Draymond Green getting "Player of the Year" is another joke.  I don't like either team, of course, but Sullinger should have gotten it.  I just don't understand why the media always overestimates Sparty when it comes to basketball.  

My main argument here will be one question.  If you were an NBA GM and both Sullinger and Green were available, which one would you take?

Butterfield

March 5th, 2012 at 7:50 PM ^

I have much less of a problem with "De-De" getting POY.  It isn't an award for NBA draft upside, it is for performance in a given season.  And Green was invaluable for MSU this year, more so than Sullinger was for OSU in my opinion. 

Hachgoblue

March 5th, 2012 at 8:16 PM ^

Michigan State was unranked to start the season, while Michigan was ranked #18.

I think the argument you make for Beilein is that he took an unheralded group of players while Tom Izzo won with more star 4/5 star type recruits, not that expectations were so much lower for Michigan.

 

qbwaggle

March 5th, 2012 at 8:20 PM ^

Was going to post the same thing but you beat me to it.

Mich was ranked #18 in preseason polls. MSU was unranked (~#26 if you look at the "others receiving votes"). 

Indiana didn't even receive any votes in the preseason poll, so honestly I'd consider giving it to Crean before Izzo and Beilein.

Bosch

March 5th, 2012 at 8:29 PM ^

Here are the preseason picks as chosen by a panel of Big Ten media:

2011-12 BIG TEN PRESEASON RANKINGS

1. Ohio State

2. Wisconsin

3. Michigan State 

2011-12 PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN TEAM

Draymond Green, Michigan State

Trevor Mbakwe, Minnesota

Jared Sullinger, Ohio State

Robbie Hummel, Purdue

Jordan Taylor, Wisconsin

2011-12 PRESEASON BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Jared Sullinger, Ohio State

Link: http://www.bigten.org/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/102711aaa.html

The AP ranking shouldn't be a factor in this discussion.

ijohnb

March 6th, 2012 at 9:01 AM ^

remember thinking State sucked hard to begin the year.  Unranked and M was ranked 17.  They played Washington Generals to NC on the aircraft carrier and I was like "Brandon who?"  I have as much Izzo hate as the next guy but in all fairness, this was supposed to be a down year for State.

Franz Schubert

March 5th, 2012 at 8:26 PM ^

According to everyone MSU has way more talent than Michigan and MSU was picked preseason to be top 3 in the conference. Does anyone on the planet think Izzo got more from less than Beilein?  Did the voters realize Michigan has a 6'4 power forward and MSU has a roster littered with Mcdonald all americans.

 

MichiganMan20

March 5th, 2012 at 7:36 PM ^

Beilein should have won coach of the year and Burke should have been the Freshman of the year by both coaches AND media. No offense to Izzo and Zeller but Beilein and Burke deserved it more than they did. Call me a homer but thats the way I see it.

Rather be on BA

March 5th, 2012 at 7:40 PM ^

I would have thought the coaches would choose Burke and the media Zeller.  I'm happy for Trey though!  Pretty awesome. 

 

And Beilein got royally screwed...  F*** Tom Izzo.

JTownMaize

March 5th, 2012 at 7:41 PM ^

Though some people may think that Frazier should not have been a 1st team selection because of how Penn State did this year, I disagree. I just checked his stats compared to the rest of the Big Ten, and he is 2nd in PPG (18.6, behind Shurna) and leads in Assists per Game (with 6.3/game, 1.7 ahead of Burke). Along with his offense that he provided, he was 2nd in steals, just 0.1 steals per game behind the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year (Kraft).

Needs

March 5th, 2012 at 9:25 PM ^

I think Frazier is well deserving. The real debate is between Taylor and Burke, both of whom played a very similar role for their team (point guard and late shot clock creator on teams that regularly run the clock down). Statistically, Burke noses out Taylor in almost every category. Didn't watch enough Wisconsin basketball this year to see if there's an unseen reason, other than a lifetime achievement award (also won by Robbie Hummel), that Taylor was chosen. 

Taylor had a far better season last year. He also had a lot more talent around him.

Raoul

March 5th, 2012 at 7:54 PM ^

This U-M press release has the full list of awards, including honorable mention, and Zack Novak was an honorable mention pick of the media. Also, Stu Douglass was U-M's Sportsmanship honoree:

Fresh off winning a share of its first Big Ten championship in 26 years, the University of Michigan men's basketball team had a trio of players earn all-conference honors in freshman Trey Burke (Columbus, Ohio/Northland HS), sophomore Tim Hardaway Jr. (Miami, Fla./Palmetto Senior HS) and senior Zack Novak (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton HS) on Monday (March 5). Additionally, senior Stu Douglass (Carmel, Ind./Carmel HS) was named U-M's Sportsmanship honoree.

Burke highlights the Wolverine honorees with four awards -- Freshman of the Year by the media, All-Big Ten second team from coaches and media, and a unanimous selection to the all-freshman team. Hardaway earned All-Big Ten third team (coaches and media) honors, while Novak was All-Big Ten honorable mention (media). 

Also, here are Michigan's previous Big Ten Freshman of the Year winners:

  • 1986: Gary Grant
  • 1992: Chris Webber*
  • 1995: Maurice Taylor*
  • 2000: LaVell Blanchard
  • 2003: Daniel Horton

Tshimanga Cowabunga

March 5th, 2012 at 10:59 PM ^

I love Beilein as much as the next guy and think he deserved COTY more than Izzo this year but to say he is a better coach? I'm not so sure. He is a different coach for sure, much more likeable and not a little troll but that little troll has won 3 of the last 4 big ten titles and been to 5 of the last 12 final fours.  I know they are working with different talent levels but still thats pretty damn impressive

TheGhostofYost

March 5th, 2012 at 9:36 PM ^

HAHA Izzo?  Hilarious.  Well the key to winning COY has been revealed.  Vastly underachieve with impressive talent one year, and then do as expected the next so it looks like a massive turnaround.

El Jeffe

March 6th, 2012 at 8:22 AM ^

At the risk of being Spartyish, I think this is right. It's the converse of the best player and the best coach not always winning the MVP award. Everyone is so used to Izzo being a great coach and having a great team that when MSU struggled (by their standards) last year, it looked like he engineered some magical turnaround.

Actually, Izzo might deserve a nod for getting rid of Allen and Lucious and for allowing the clock to blessedly run out on Lucas and Summers.

StephenRKass

March 5th, 2012 at 10:30 PM ^

I think that at least two factors come in:  first, MSU was so lousy last year. This was quite a turnaround. Second, once athletes and coaches have some success, they are always rewarded. You see this in MLB & NFL & NBA all star teams all the time. Dean Smith and Coach K and Bill Self and Calipari get lots of recognition because of past success.

manchild56

March 6th, 2012 at 7:22 AM ^

only real outcome that could have happened. I mean each had 6 outright Big Ten Players of the weeks, and they tied this past weekend, making it 7 each. That is as even as it can possibly get.

bigmc6000

March 6th, 2012 at 8:01 AM ^

Ok, you don't want to give Stu the defensive player of the year, I'm alright with that. I don't agree but I'm ok with it. But, seriously, not even on the all defense team at all??  Who voted in that crap??  I haven't watched a single game where the announcers (both BTN and CBS) have been heaping praise (and rightly so) on Stu's defense.  Dude deserved first team defense without question...