End of Year Awards

[GoChips20]

POY is voted by the BgE coaches right. I’m not sure they are going to particularly care about a so-called “narrative.”

Ah, thanks for pointing that out. Could definitely see it going either way if it’s a coaches vote rather than media.

 

[bbsamjj]

And who do we have on the 10 person WNBCA All Americans (I'm not ranking, just counting)

1. LOCK: Clark
2. LOCK: Brink
3. LOCK: Paige
4. LOCK: Juju
5. LOCK: Hidalgo
6. LOCK: Kitley
7. LOCK: Someone from South Carolina (probably Cardoso)
8. LOCK: Someone from LSU (probably Reese)
9. Probably a LOCK: Pilli
10.Maybe a LOCK: A. Lee

Might sneak in: A. Edwards, M. Booker, Morrow, Paopao

 

[visitingcock]

Is there a national award for “6th Woman of the Year?”

My nominations:
PAC Timea Gardiner
SEC Ashlyn Watkins

Any other nominees?

 

[triaddukefan]

Is there a national award for “6th Woman of the Year?”

My nominations:
PAC Timea Gardiner
SEC Ashlyn Watkins

Any other nominees?

ACC: Oluchi

 

[ConnMotors]

Or does Edwards pass Paige for BE POY?

The way that Edwards is currently playing she will be named the Big East Player of the Year.

 

[bballnut90]

And who do we have on the 10 person WNBCA All Americans (I'm not ranking, just counting)

1. LOCK: Clark
2. LOCK: Brink
3. LOCK: Paige
4. LOCK: Juju
5. LOCK: Hidalgo
6. LOCK: Kitley
7. LOCK: Someone from South Carolina (probably Cardoso)
8. LOCK: Someone from LSU (probably Reese)
9. Probably a LOCK: Pilli
10.Maybe a LOCK: A. Lee

Might sneak in: A. Edwards, M. Booker, Morrow, Paopao

Jacy Sheldon, Raegan Beers, Kiki Rice, Kiki Iriafen, Lauren Betts, Mackenzie Holmes, Jaylyn Sherrod, and Georgia Amoore are all strong candidates too. I don't see Lee as a lock due to 7 games missed. Morrow/Edwards are having strong years but I can't see either LSU/UCONN getting 2 players at this point.

 

[bbsamjj]

All great names bballnut90, and the more I think about it, the more I think it will be tougher for ANY school to get two names on a 10 player list, given how much parity there has been this season [and the one team that could get 2 players--SC--is the ultimate in balanced production]. That would impact Iriafen and Amoore, even though they are both having amazing seasons.

Sheldon is a name no one talks about and yet she is once again shooting over 50% as a 2-guard while taking nearly 13 shots a game. I would have no issue with Beers taking the A. Lee spot; I hope she is not out long.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

And who do we have on the 10 person WNBCA All Americans (I'm not ranking, just counting)

1. LOCK: Clark
2. LOCK: Brink
3. LOCK: Paige
4. LOCK: Juju
5. LOCK: Hidalgo
6. LOCK: Kitley
7. LOCK: Someone from South Carolina (probably Cardoso)
8. LOCK: Someone from LSU (probably Reese)
9. Probably a LOCK: Pilli
10.Maybe a LOCK: A. Lee

Might sneak in: A. Edwards, M. Booker, Morrow, Paopao

This is darned good list but I would put Pilli as a lock. That leaves 3 spots for about eight to ten players that could be worthy of mention.

 

[Vowelguy]

For the 5 player team I’m guessing

Clark
Hidalgo
Juju
Brink

And … Kitley?


2nd

Paopao
Paige
Reese
Pili
Cardoso


3rd

Sheldon
Holmes
Beers
Betts
Edwards


HM
Morrow
Rickea
McMahon
Rice
Amoore
A James
Booker
Ayoka

 

[bbsamjj]

That looks about right Vowel. Given VA Tech's recent "resurgence" [back in the top 8 of AP, in drivers seat to win ACC]; and the fact that Kitley was a preseason all american--and having another great season--she fits right in on the first team.

I could see Paige taking one of Hidalgo or JuJu's slots on the first team due to name recognition; PaoPao on the second team feels like a bit of a strech, but not sure who I'd replace with [maybe Beers or Sheldon]. Sherrod should at least be HM. If Betts or Holmes or Edwards fell to HM and replaced with Morrow/Rickea/Amoore/A.James/Booker/Ayoka I wouldn't be offended.

 

[Vowelguy]

I could see Paige taking one of Hidalgo or JuJu's slots on the first team due to name recognition;

That would be unfortunate.

In the UConn-nd game, Hidalgo was the best player on the floor and it wasn’t close at all.
And you can’t ignore scoring 50 to beat the #2 or 3 team.

One game does not make a season, but Hidalgo and juju have been pretty spectacular all season.

 

[CompSci87]

Cant put the genie back in the bottle. Transfers are a major factor in who wins NCs, gets to the F4, ...

Sure. But there doesn't have to be a transfer of the year award.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Sure. But there doesn't have to be a transfer of the year award.

Way, way before the transfer portal madness, some conferences had a separate award for Freshman of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. Impact transfers have been around for a long time.

 

[The deacon]

That would be unfortunate.

In the UConn-nd game, Hidalgo was the best player on the floor and it wasn’t close at all.
And you can’t ignore scoring 50 to beat the #2 or 3 team.

One game does not make a season, but Hidalgo and juju have been pretty spectacular all season.

I generally agree all around, and I know anyone can have a bad game, but did you notice JuJu shot of 6 of 32 last night vs. Oregon State?

 

[bbsamjj]

I generally agree all around, and I know anyone can have a bad game, but did you notice JuJu shot of 6 of 32 last night vs. Oregon State?

yes. and USC still won.

 

[bennyskid]

... and JuJu was 11-33 in her first game against OSU. She's the definition of "volume shooter".

Color me unimpressed. She has talent, but I just can't imagine that there aren't 10 players better than her in the country.

 

[Vowelguy]

I generally agree all around, and I know anyone can have a bad game, but did you notice JuJu shot of 6 of 32 last night vs. Oregon State?

Yup and they won.

 

[Vowelguy]

... and JuJu was 11-33 in her first game against OSU. She's the definition of "volume shooter".

Color me unimpressed. She has talent, but I just can't imagine that there aren't 10 players better than her in the country.

Ask Tara her opinion on that

 

[bennyskid]

She's below her team's average for FG%, 3Pt%, and has a negative A/TO ratio. When I played rec-league ball, we called that "being a ball-hog". And, yes, I'm sure that it's all part of the game plan and the coach feels that she can generate scoring opportunities that others can't - in particular, she's excellent at getting to the FT line. So she's a star. But how many All-Americans have as their best statistic "leads conference in FTAs"?
Put her at 3rd string. Bump Lauren Betts up to 2nd.
And while we're are at, trade Pili out for Raegan Beers. Rae absolutely ate Pili alive in both head-to-heads.

 

[Vowelguy]

But how many All-Americans have as their best statistic "leads conference in FTAs"?
.

Uh, you mean other than being the scoring leader, by far, in this year's toughest conference?

 

[bennyskid]

. . . and leading in shots taken by an even wider margin. That impresses me less than Iriafen averaging a double-double.

I just think that an All-American should shoot better than the average player on their own team. An AA guard should have more As than TOs.

 

[amb3096]

My prediction will be something like this:

1st: Caitin Clark, Juju Watkins, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink, Kamila Cardoso

Comments: I think it should be Hidalgo over Watkins, but Juju has the name recognition and higher profile team, so she gets the nod. Cardoso gets 1st team as the best player on the best team. Reese gets repeat honors (I think she has the stats to back it up). Brink gets promoted over Mackenzie Holmes due to the H2H matchup.

2nd: Hanna Hidalgo, Jacy Sheldon, Alyssa Pili, Mackenzie Holmes, Elizabeth Kitley

Comments: Hidalgo is borderline first team and no worse than 2nd team. Pili, Holmes and Kitley were all either 1st or 2nd team last year, and none of them have done badly enough to drop below at least 2nd team. Sheldon is a bit of a long horse, but she has the stats and OSU is #2 in the country. She's probably the least likely to get 2nd team.

3rd: Te-Hina Paopao, Jaylyn Sherod/Saniya Rivers, Aneesah Morrow, Aliyah Edwards, Lauren Betts

Comments: Morrow and Edwards hold their 3rd team honors from last season. Betts kept UCLA at #2 for a long portion of the season and has been a difference maker for the Bruins. Paopao gets the bump as the best guard (statistically) on the #1 team and to make up for LSU having two spots (really hard not to give it to Morrow given how well she's fit into LSU while improving her shooting from last season); I can see her getting left off though. Last spot was tough to pick. I'll give it to either Sherod from Colorado or Rivers from NCState for being the respective engines for their overachieving teams.

HM: Sherod/Rivers loser from above, Bueckers (yes, controversial on a UConn board, but both her and Edwards aren't getting honors this year), Rickea Jackson. Cotie McMahon, Kiki Iriafen, Madison Booker, Ayoka Lee, Georgia Amoore, Raegan Beers, Charisma Osbourne, Mikayla Williams, Audi Crooks

 

[MSSportsGuy]

. . . and leading in shots taken by an even wider margin. That impresses me less than Iriafen averaging a double-double.

I just think that an All-American should shoot better than the average player on their own team. An AA guard should have more As than TOs.

Your points about Watkins are valid, but anyone who walks into the situation at USC, becomes the program leader and immediately makes them a contender in a loaded conference is going to be recognized nationally. Per the ESPN page, she's shooting 41.7% overall and 34.5% from 3, while USC is at 42.9% and 35.8%. That's not substantially lower.

She of course has things to clean up but when a freshman comes on the scene like that and puts up her overall numbers on what was a marginal team, they are going to receive lots of attention.

 

[bennyskid]

Well, if the question is who will win, Juju is a shoo-in. Voters love them some scoring.
If the question is who should win . . . she's in my 3rd string.