OK, it’s already “later tonight” and the all-Big Ten selections have been released.
Your Spartan awardees:
- Kalin Lucas was selected as the conference Player of the Year–and a first-team all-conference pick–by both the coaches and the media. Chalk up another rock-solid preseason prediction for the all-knowing, all-seeing Spartans Weblog. (You’ll recall that Lucas didn’t even make the preseason all-conference team.)
- Tom Izzo was named Coach of the Year by the coaches; Ed DeChellis was picked by the media. (If he had to pick only one, I’d think Izzo will value being selected by the coaches more than he would be by the media.)
- Travis Walton was named Defensive Player of the Year by both the coaches and the media.
- Goran Suton was named to the all-conference second team by both the coaches and the media. (I was ready to throw a full-size blogger hissy fit if this didn’t happen.)
- Raymar Morgan was granted honorable mention status by both sets of voters; Walton received that status in the media voting only.
- Delvon Roe was named to the All-Freshman Team.
That’s a very nice haul of awards–appropriate for a team that finished in first place by 4 games.
I have to say, I have almost no gripes with any of the selections made by either the coaches or the media. I had jotted down a rough draft of the three all-conference teams in a meeting earlier today–and the names match almost exactly what I had.
The first team (Harris/Lucas/Turner/Battle/J. Johnson) seemed pretty clear to most observers, I think. Manny Harris and Talor Battle both struggled some in conference play (Harris more than Battle), but both were very, very good in nonconference play and both made some huge plays to get their teams into NCAA Tournament position down the stretch.
You can argue what order to put the 10 guys who made the 2nd/3rd teams in (reflecting the league’s parity this season), but the list is a solid one (click through to see it). The only name that jumps out at me as out of place is E’Twaun Moore. For a guy who’s only real role is to score, a shooting line of .487/.333/.778 doesn’t impress. But I don’t necessarily have a better pick. (Surprisingly, this turned out to be a better year for post players than for perimeter guys.) Walton might deserve a spot, but the all-conference teams tends to focus on offense, with the defensive awards as a consolation.
On that note, you can’t argue with one iota of the All-Defensive Team (Frazier/Walton/D. Johnson/Kramer/J. Johnson). Walton and Damian Johnson would both have made deserving Defensive Players of the Year. And Gatens/Roe/Buford/Mullens/Jackson is a good looking All-Freshman Team.
In short: I’m glad I didn’t too much time compiling my picks, as it would have been an exercise in redundancy.
If he had to pick only one, I’d think Izzo will value being selected by the coaches more than he would be by the media.
He basically said so on the BTN tonight. It really shows that it’s not just that he had the best talent either, other coaches find how strongly his team did in spite of injuries impressive. The media seems more likely to write off MSU’s unhealthiness because of the talent and depth they have, but coaches know what a great job Izzo did.
Which member of the media didn’t select Lucas as a first teamer? Isnt that the only way his name isnt in bold?
All five members of the first team are sophomores. Amazing.
The fact that State won the league by 4 games I think is the reason the coaches gave Izzo the nod. With all the obstacles that MSU had to leap over – Roe, Suton, Morgan, and even Walton & Lucas missing a start – Izzo held the team together. Plus, the team had 8 road wins – this is incredible! The coaches got it right, and the media wasn’t that far off.
Also, I think I’m ok with Ramar not getting the All-Big Ten team. I think this is because he was sick for the middle 2/3rds of the season. The fact that he received an Honorary Pick despite barely playing in the conference season is a sign that the conference knows just how good he is.