Boston is on a team of All American high school players, Clark is not. Clark dropped in 40 four times, led in both assists and scoring. Took her team to the Big 10 title and, like Paige, is a reason for the uninitiated to watch women's college basketball. If she doesn't get it just give it every year to the best player in the SEC and pretend you are being very inclusive.
Christyn AA?
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These are the frontrunners for 10-player AA:
the-boneyard.com
And there are players like Ayoka Lee, K Pointer, Morrow, Horston, C Reese, A Reese
Naismith POY semifinalists
@TheFarmFan will be pleased to see both Jones and Brink on this list :)
And there are players like Ayoka Lee, K Pointer, Morrow, Horston, C Reese, A Reese
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Apparently my Mississippi State engineering degree rendered me unable to properly count because I provided 8 names rather than the 7 I thought lol. I've been able to get close to the WBCA 10 team list a few times over the years but given the power teams usually can fill over half the spots it's an easy process. This year has a few more power players from less than noteworthy teams who have performed greatly.
But does the award go to the best player or the best stats? Clark is a great player and clearly has the best stats. But isn’t the volume of stats reflective of her role on the team? Imagine her as part of the “UConn 9”. she’d still be the same great player but would she have those gaudy stats? Even Paige at her best wouldn’t need to take 25+ shots every game to help this team be its best. I say it’s Boston this year. She made a very good team better. That’s hard to do. That’s what Paige did last year. Clark needed to roll up the stats in order to make Iowa as successful as it has been this year. I can see the Huskies winning the NC with no AAs this year, but no one is going to convince me this feat will have been accomplished without any AA caliber players, whether recognized as such or not. I’m hoping for the award that isn’t voted on.
The award is for Player of the Year. Being the best player on the best team isn't the criterion. It's not just about stats either but they are an important component of it. Leading the country in scoring and assists is incredible and the numbers were 27 and almost 8. Boston had 16 and 12 boards but Nalyssa Smith had 22 and 12. The "put her on UCONN test" isn't fair. Putting anyone on UCONN just like putting Michael Jordan on North Carolina under Dean Smith, changes everything and it would change Boston too. Clark did some spectacular things this year and made her team, which without her is nowhere, a Big Ten Champion. Boston was steady greatness, spectacular not so much. We will see soon enough.
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SI doesn’t think so
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Well said, BallF. I'll add a few points to put Caitlin's accomplishments in perspective:
1) While there were games she took as many as 25 shots, she averaged just 20 per game. I'd say with a 45.6 field goal success rate and as an excellent free-throw shooter, she gives Iowa a pretty darned good return on her efforts.
2) If you were to follow Iowa through the season, especially down the regular-season's stretch run, Caitlin had her best games against the toughest opponents. When the defense focused too much on her, she was glad to settle for 20-point games with lots of assists as long as the Hawkeyes were winning.
3) All that said, I'll bet Caitlin is not eagerly awaiting a return engagement with the Huskies' dynamic defense as it is now. She might say otherwise, but she's smart enough to know the cohesive unit Geno has developed would make it mighty tough on her and her teammates.