We already have a thread for the coach of the year, here's one for the other awards.

Freshman of the Year:
There are a lot of good freshmen in C-USA. The best are probably Dorn and Woods from Charlotte, Massey from FAU, Combs from North Texas, Norton, Lee, and Cokley from UAB, and Harris from UTEP.

I think the award will go to Torin Dorn, the only freshman in the top 25 of scoring and is hitting 50% from the field.

Nick Norton has a shot since he is fourth in conference in assists and assist-to-turnover ratio, eighth in steals, and fifth in three point percentage.

I like Jeremy Combs a lot too. Almost 10 points per game, tenth in conference in rebounding, and seventh in FG percentage.

Newcomer of the Year:
I'm pretty sure Trey Freeman of Old Dominion has this award on lock. No one else can come close to 16.8 points and 3.3 assists per game.

Second place goes to Adrian Diaz of FIU. He leads the conference in FG percentage, is second in blocks, and is seventh in rebounds.

Honorable mentions go to Erik McCree of La Tech, Robert Brown of UAB, Ryan Bowie of UTSA, and Braxton Ogbueze of Charlotte.

Defensive Player of the Year:
I don't watch nearly enough C-USA games to be a good judge for this award.

I do know that Michale Kyser of La Tech leads the conference in blocks and is fifth in D1. Pierria Henry leads the conference in steals and is eighth in D1. I think of Vince Hunter of UTEP as a great all-around defender.

I'll put down Hunter as my guess.

Player of the Year:
I looked at a lot of players since no one really stood out this year. I settled on TJ Price of Western Kentucky. He's the leading scorer in conference, is fourth in assists, is shooting 44/40/82, and is second in three pointers made.

That's my ballot. What is everyone else thinking?

I think dorn will won foty. Nobody else on this team should be considered for anything (Except woods, also for foty). Dorn is a remarkable talent. I hope he and woods stick around for tel he new staff.

Kyser or Henry will won dpoty.

Agree with Price for player of the year although Freeman definitrly deserves consideration.

As long as Freeman gets something I'll be happy.

Looking quickly at statsheet and nothing else, the best defensive players for the whole season:

UTEP's Vince Hunter
Marshall's Ryan Taylor
FAU's Justin Raffington
UTSA's Jeromie Hill
WKU's George Fant
LT's Michale Kyser

5-10 others are pretty close to their numbers.

Hopefully more than stat sheets are used, since Denzel Taylor and Jordan Baker are a big reason why we only allow 57 points per game.

Ask Seth Gearhart who the best defensive player in C-USA is, my guess is Denzell Taylor

As far as freshmen, Dorn and Lee were the most talented ones that I saw this season

(03-02-2015 07:49 PM)Blue_Trombone Wrote:  Hopefully more than stat sheets are used, since Denzel Taylor and Jordan Baker are a big reason why we only allow 57 points per game.

Also has to do with the fact that ODU averages the least amount of possessions in the conference. ODU is close to last in the country in that statistic, so it makes sense that they will allow under 60 points since they only average a bit above 60 points also. A guy who gets 2.3 RPG and 0.8 steals per game probably isn't getting a defensive player of the year award. Denzel Taylor has a shot though. However, I'm guessing it will go to a player who is averaging 28+ minutes but then again who knows.

Vince Hunter probably has the best defensive stats in the league. 9.2 RPG, 1.0 BPG, 1.2 SPG. 28.6 minutes

(03-02-2015 08:15 PM)Shrack Wrote:  

(03-02-2015 07:49 PM)Blue_Trombone Wrote:  Hopefully more than stat sheets are used, since Denzel Taylor and Jordan Baker are a big reason why we only allow 57 points per game.

Also has to do with the fact that ODU averages the least amount of possessions in the conference. ODU is close to last in the country in that statistic, so it makes sense that they will allow under 60 points since they only average a bit above 60 points also. A guy who gets 2.3 RPG and 0.8 steals per game probably isn't getting a defensive player of the year award. Denzel Taylor has a shot though. However, I'm guessing it will go to a player who is averaging 28+ minutes but then again who knows.

Vince Hunter probably has the best defensive stats in the league. 9.2 RPG, 1.0 BPG, 1.2 SPG. 28.6 minutes

Yeah, you're probably right. Fortunately we get two more years of him, so he'll have a couple more chances!

I forgot about the Sixth Man of the Year award.

I'm not sure who starts and who comes off the bench for every team, so I'll throw out a homer pick in Chris Cokley of UAB. In only 17 minutes per game, he is averaging 7.8 points and 4.8 rebounds. He also shooting 54.6% from the field, good for ninth in the conference. He's a model of efficiency.

(03-02-2015 08:15 PM)Shrack Wrote:  

(03-02-2015 07:49 PM)Blue_Trombone Wrote:  Hopefully more than stat sheets are used, since Denzel Taylor and Jordan Baker are a big reason why we only allow 57 points per game.

Also has to do with the fact that ODU averages the least amount of possessions in the conference. ODU is close to last in the country in that statistic, so it makes sense that they will allow under 60 points since they only average a bit above 60 points also. A guy who gets 2.3 RPG and 0.8 steals per game probably isn't getting a defensive player of the year award. Denzel Taylor has a shot though. However, I'm guessing it will go to a player who is averaging 28+ minutes but then again who knows.

Vince Hunter probably has the best defensive stats in the league. 9.2 RPG, 1.0 BPG, 1.2 SPG. 28.6 minutes

65.4 points in offense is more than a bit above 60. ODU are right that the top of scoring margin with LT (ODU and LT are +8.4 and +8.6 respectively, next highest is UTEP with +5.6).

ODU leads the conference in field goal defense and rebound defense. I agree that neither Baker or Taylor are getting D POY, Hunter should have it.

(03-03-2015 01:07 PM)ODUgradstudent Wrote:  

(03-02-2015 08:15 PM)Shrack Wrote:  

(03-02-2015 07:49 PM)Blue_Trombone Wrote:  Hopefully more than stat sheets are used, since Denzel Taylor and Jordan Baker are a big reason why we only allow 57 points per game.

Also has to do with the fact that ODU averages the least amount of possessions in the conference. ODU is close to last in the country in that statistic, so it makes sense that they will allow under 60 points since they only average a bit above 60 points also. A guy who gets 2.3 RPG and 0.8 steals per game probably isn't getting a defensive player of the year award. Denzel Taylor has a shot though. However, I'm guessing it will go to a player who is averaging 28+ minutes but then again who knows.

Vince Hunter probably has the best defensive stats in the league. 9.2 RPG, 1.0 BPG, 1.2 SPG. 28.6 minutes

65.4 points in offense is more than a bit above 60. ODU are right that the top of scoring margin with LT (ODU and LT are +8.4 and +8.6 respectively, next highest is UTEP with +5.6).

ODU leads the conference in field goal defense and rebound defense. I agree that neither Baker or Taylor are getting D POY, Hunter should have it.

Yeah, I was wrong on that. Was looking at point differential last night for CUSA games instead and had mistaken it for the season. ODU is +6 in CUSA games instead of +8.4 overall, so that is where I went wrong on that. For CUSA they are 64.4 to 58.4.

(03-03-2015 01:32 PM)Shrack Wrote:  

(03-03-2015 01:07 PM)ODUgradstudent Wrote:  

(03-02-2015 08:15 PM)Shrack Wrote:  

(03-02-2015 07:49 PM)Blue_Trombone Wrote:  Hopefully more than stat sheets are used, since Denzel Taylor and Jordan Baker are a big reason why we only allow 57 points per game.

Also has to do with the fact that ODU averages the least amount of possessions in the conference. ODU is close to last in the country in that statistic, so it makes sense that they will allow under 60 points since they only average a bit above 60 points also. A guy who gets 2.3 RPG and 0.8 steals per game probably isn't getting a defensive player of the year award. Denzel Taylor has a shot though. However, I'm guessing it will go to a player who is averaging 28+ minutes but then again who knows.

Vince Hunter probably has the best defensive stats in the league. 9.2 RPG, 1.0 BPG, 1.2 SPG. 28.6 minutes

65.4 points in offense is more than a bit above 60. ODU are right that the top of scoring margin with LT (ODU and LT are +8.4 and +8.6 respectively, next highest is UTEP with +5.6).

ODU leads the conference in field goal defense and rebound defense. I agree that neither Baker or Taylor are getting D POY, Hunter should have it.

Yeah, I was wrong on that. Was looking at point differential last night for CUSA games instead and had mistaken it for the season. ODU is +6 in CUSA games instead of +8.4 overall, so that is where I went wrong on that. For CUSA they are 64.4 to 58.4.

With all the different SOS maybe the conference stats are as important as the total ones, so you may have a point.

(03-02-2015 07:42 PM)Shrack Wrote:  Looking quickly at statsheet and nothing else, the best defensive players for the whole season:

UTEP's Vince Hunter
Marshall's Ryan Taylor
FAU's Justin Raffington
UTSA's Jeromie Hill
WKU's George Fant
LT's Michale Kyser

5-10 others are pretty close to their numbers.

To use a phrase the kids are using these days, I'll eat my hat if Hunter gets anywhere close to DPOY. He's had his moments, but he's an average to slightly above average defensive player this year. He's a prime example of why you can't rely on defensive stats to determine a player's defensive acumen. If you gamble every once in a while, you might get a steal (or block) or two, but you'll also gamble and lose a lot.

If anyone on the UTEP team wins DPOY, it'll be Julian Washburn. He might not have the stats, but he's our best defensive player far and away. But, even he has had an up and down defensive season this year. He'll probably on the All-Defensive Team.

I think POY will go to Speedy Smith.
1 Kenneth Smith, G LT AST (223) APG (7.4) TO(72) TOPG (2.4) AST/TO (3.10)
The only CUSA player that is ranked nationally (5th in assists)

(03-03-2015 02:17 PM)NanoDawg Wrote:  I think POY will go to Speedy Smith.
1 Kenneth Smith, G LT AST (223) APG (7.4) TO(72) TOPG (2.4) AST/TO (3.10)
The only CUSA player that is ranked nationally (5th in assists)

I'd be shocked if Speedy didn't win POY.

I'd love for TJ to win it, but I see Smith winning it as well.