Big East Defensive Player of the Year

[JDForever]

Nika has had a much bigger role this season, both offensively and defensively

Thread is discussing defensive player of the Year in the Big East. Aubrey is the hands down candidate from UConn for the award.

 

[Huskee11]

Thread is discussing defensive player of the Year in the Big East. Aubrey is the hands down candidate from UConn for the award.

My point is that her overall performance on both ends will create a desire to recognize her in some fashion and that the DPOY would be a way to do that. Getting on the first team all conference might be difficult given all of the higher scoring guards and the fact that they will try to get representatives from teams other than UConn.

And Aubrey is certainly a viable and deserving candidate for that award as well, but it is definitely not hers "hands down".

 

[JDForever]

Aubrey is certainly a viable and deserving candidate for that award as well, but it is definitely not hers "hands down".

We will have to agree to disagree, IMHO Aubrey is the best defender on the UConn roster and if she does not win it it will be a player from another team.

 

[CL82]

I agree with this, and I'll add that I think one reason Nika was DPOY last year was that she guarded the player bringing the ball up the court almost every single time a player was bringing the ball up. That extra five seconds or so off the shot clock was incredibly disruptive. She's just not doing that very often this year, and when they do put some pressure on, it's both Nika and Aubrey in the back court.

Coaches saw what an enormous PIA Nika was, and how she took teams out of their game plan by “cutting the head off the dragon.”

Aubrey is an excellent candidate for defensive player of the year, but much of what she does isn’t flashy. Her athleticism allows her to keep up and defend people, denying them the ball that’s not as “sexy“ as eye-popping blocks, though we know she can get up there and do that.

I agree with posters, who said Siegrist and Morrow are in the hunt for awards as well. Hard to be too upset with either one of them winning.

For what it’s worth, Dorka has been playing well and is a pretty consistent shot blocker too.

 

[Galaxyshooter]

I'll take Aubrey, any day all day. She can defend all 5 positions on the floor. Nika, while an excellent defender herself, is limited in who she can defend.

I totally agree AG can defend 1 through 5. Is she coming back next year to train her apprentice Qadence Samuels or is she graduating?

 

[CONNCAN]

My feeling is that Aubrey Griffin will be the UCONN Player, who will be put up for the DPOY Award in the Big East Conference this season. As it relates to Siegrist and Morrow, both of them, will be for sure, up for, if not a given, on the 1st Team ALL BIG EAST Team Award. I don't really think that the Big East Conference, unless their defense is the major contributing reason why they made 1st Team All Big East, that they would choose one of them. Now, if there is a candidate, outside of UCONN, that say, might make the 2nd Team All Big East Conference, that might be a good candidate for the DPOY Award, then maybe so. But, I will still say it should be Aubrey Griffin.

 

[brownale]

As of now, I would say that Maddy Siegrist is the clear front-runner for BE POY. With all due respect to Aaliyah Edwards and her outstanding level of play, Siegrist is single-handily carrying Villanova. She leads the country in scoring, almost averages a double-double, shoots over 50% from the field, 40% from 3-pt land, 85% from the foul line, while taking 20 shots a game. She outplayed Morrow recently in a game where Morrow launched 34 shots.

Morrow is an incredible talent, and Edwards is having a phenomenal season, but UConn possesses more weapons, despite its injury list and continued bad luck. Villanova would be in the bottom half of the BE if not for Siegrist on their team.

Maybe when UConn plays Villanova, the DPOY and/or POY might become finalized, depending on the job Aubrey does in covering Siegrist.

Siegrist averages 20 shots per game, Morrow averages 24. Lou averages 12, Aaliyah averages 11 (how would their stats look if the doubled their shots per game ?)

 

[BBallF]

Aubrey and Nika are both great but after I watched Nika live tonight do a job and a half on Park-Lane from Seton Hall, it's Nika for me.

 

[Skeets]

Aubrey and Nika are both great but after I watched Nika live tonight do a job and a half on Park-Lane from Seton Hall, it's Nika for me.

She had a little help from her friends, but it was mostly Nika shutting down the best PG, not in the BE, but in the country. Oh, while she was doing that, she also dished 13 assists.

 

[diggerfoot]

She had a little help from her friends, but it was mostly Nika shutting down the best PG, not in the BE, but in the country. Oh, while she was doing that, she also dished 13 assists.

In fairness, Clark will probably receive the award for best PG in the country, perhaps even the POY . Of course, Muhl was the one chosen to make the best offensive player in the country miserable and did a pretty good job of it.

 

[diggerfoot]

I’ve been impressed with the defense of all the starters, including Senechal.

I understand the 1 - 5 argument in favoring Griffin, but she is not the first choice for all those positions. I will be interested to see who is assigned to guard Siegrist and Morrow. I suspect it will be Edwards. If Griffin gets those assignments and does a good job that will be a big plus in her favor.

 

[CONNCAN]

Aubrey and Nika are both great but after I watched Nika live tonight do a job and a half on Park-Lane from Seton Hall, it's Nika for me.

I rewatch the game and it was everytime LPL was able to use screens set for her to pull her off of Nika, that Aubrey Griffin took over and stuffed and down LPL all game long. Aubrey Griffin for Big East DPOY.

 

[sun]

I favor Aubrey for the DPOY award. In more than one instance Nika has been shown to grab opposition players by the shirt or arm to hold them up. Whereas Aubrey plays a very clean defensive game and hardly ever seems to foul, at least not intentionally like Nika does. Other examples are when Nika bumps into or pushes an opposing player, sometimes without any provocation & quite hard. Those are not award winning moves.

 

[BBallF]

I rewatch the game and it was everytime LPL was able to use screens set for her to pull her off of Nika, that Aubrey Griffin took over and stuffed and down LPL all game long. Aubrey Griffin for Big East DPOY.

I just rewatched the first quarter. Nika was on her like white on rice. She didn't into the lane on her and the only shot she got off of her was a 35 foot 3 that missed. Park-Lane didn't score in that quarter. It's not just who picks her up and blocks her it's who defends her. Nika was into her head big time. She got 3 fouls in the first half. I watched Nika very carefully. She stopped her from running the offense. I'm sorry but I don't agree at all. Seeing Nika live and up close confirmed for me how great a defender she is.

 

[Cornell Lt]

She had a little help from her friends, but it was mostly Nika shutting down the best PG, not in the BE, but in the country. Oh, while she was doing that, she also dished 13 assists.

LPL is no where near the best PG in the Big East let alone country.

 

[Cuango]

I favor Aubrey for the DPOY award. In more than one instance Nika has been shown to grab opposition players by the shirt or arm to hold them up. Whereas Aubrey plays a very clean defensive game and hardly ever seems to foul, at least not intentionally like Nika does. Other examples are when Nika bumps into or pushes an opposing player, sometimes without any provocation & quite hard. Those are not award winning moves.

With all due respect, the award is for Defensive Player, not Cleanest or Least Likely to Foul! As long as she plays within the rules and is not singled out by the referees, I don’t really care whether she (in your opinion) grabs more, pushes more, or bumps more! Basketball is a contact sport, not ballet. Let’s ask their opponents who they’d rather be guarded by! Her style of play does not seem to have hurt her team and Geno seems quite happy with her, she’s not fouling out of games, so, I doubt you are going to see people changing their vote over her style of play. Clearly, Aubrey is also a great defensive player and could well receive an award for it, but if she does, I highly doubt it will be due to “cleaner” defense!

 

[Dogstar]

I favor Aubrey for the DPOY award. In more than one instance Nika has been shown to grab opposition players by the shirt or arm to hold them up. Whereas Aubrey plays a very clean defensive game and hardly ever seems to foul, at least not intentionally like Nika does. Other examples are when Nika bumps into or pushes an opposing player, sometimes without any provocation & quite hard. Those are not award winning moves.

I must admit tht I favor Aubrey for the award but you have to admit tht The Croatian Sensation plays the same defense tht other teams use to throw UConn off their game, all up in ur uniform, impede ur progress, thieving, and Mucking up ur set plays. Imho.

 

[JBBallfan]

Nika is the one who usually guards the best player on the other team. She has shut them down time and time again. Nika is the most fierce defender on our team hands down.

I don't agree with that assessment. Aubrey is routinely put on the player that is providing the opponents most offense (unless a big). With switches it's tough as they're constantly rotating on different players. I like Nika and think she has made huge strides this year, but overall ability to cover is Aubrey - think Gabbie Williams