Devin Carter is the Big East Player of the Year

[superjohn]

As much as I wanted it to be Tristan Newton, you have to look at everything included, this is voted on by the coaches, Tristan Newton, a lot of people say is our best player, but does Uconn actually have a best player? Anyone can step up on a given night and that has happened literally every game this season, Newton has probably been the most consistent on the team. That being said you have to look at Devin Carter statistics, and he is the best player on his team.

"Overall, he ranks second in scoring at 19.4, third in rebounding at 8.6, fourth in 3-point shooting, making 38.5 percent and fourth in steals at 1.9. He has posted 12 double-doubles this season, which ranks third in the league."

I still think Newton's two triple-doubles this season is more impressive than 12 double doubles, but I will say that Devin Carter does deserve this acknowledgment and I am happy for him, he's a hell of a player.

You could at least spell his name right.

 

[I Bleed Blue]

Carter’s a stud no question, but this is laughable. Newton was totally robbed.

 

[BEFAN]

^^^ THIS ^^^

Coaches with players in the mix for the PoY Award would vote for one of the dark horse candidates to give their player a better chance of winning. If each one does that, the dark horse wins. That's how Carter beats Newton, Scheierman and Kolek.

Just a theory by a cynical guy with no faith in the system.

Sadly, I think this is how it probably went down. Throw in a Shaka vote for Carter and Carter has 3 votes already. If the non-involved coaches split their votes among Newton, Kolek, and Scheierman (and especially if Carter snags a fourth vote), there you have it.

Frankly, I think they should add one beat writer for each school to the voting. There would still be politicking, but I think journalists are a little more objective when it comes to the teams they are covering. See the coaches poll vs the ap poll. For example, one coach didn't even rank Creighton on last week's ballot. Ditto for Iowa State, Illinois, and Auburn: NCAA Men’s College Basketball Coaches Poll | USA Today Sports

 

[gsmooth]

Who cares? It's an individual award. He's as good as Newton offensively and much better defensively. The only point in Newton's favor is the rebounding. But I can see them saying Carter had the best season. Team success shouldn't be a major factor. You can argue that PC being as good as it was despite losing Hopkins is a pretty major endorsement for Carter.

I am not too up in arms about this at all. Devin is great player and earned this award and deserved it. I can say the exact same thing for Newton, Scheierman, and Kolek as well.

Here's hoping Newton and Karaban respond like Kevin Freeman and Kemba Walker did to their snubs.

 

[Tenspro2002]

The problem is this conference changes the rules whenever they feel like it. Last year Sanogo deserved to win, but it went to Kolek because he was the best player on the best team in the league. So then this year we have the best team and…? Different set of rules. I’d be shocked if anyone on this board would take Carter over Newton on their team if given the choice. I certainly wouldn’t.

Yeah, it's really this.

When we have an outstanding player, but our team is mediocre, they give it to the leader of the best team.

When we have an outstanding team, they don't give it to our leader, but instead to someone on a mediocre team.

 

[phillionaire]

I’m hearing “Devin Farter” from many people

 

[upstater]

Yes he was

Yes, I got it mixed up with the AP. Newton won AP POY but wasn't a unanimous selection. Seems some sportswriters in Big east cities didn't rate him highly at all, yet he still won POY

 

[AdamaNation]

This conference can't get out of it's own way with dumb stuff like this. Providence is 19-12. Tristen is going to be first team all-American and his own conference doesn't recognize him.

I would have hohummed a co poy

 

[BuffaloHusky]

I'm so often conflicted on these. Carter is great and he's one of the few players in the Big East who I think would start for us but I too lean towards the most valuable player on the best team as opposed to the player who made winning plays but put up awesome numbers often in vain.

 

[BlueMAB]

UConn won a Big East record 18 games. Won the conference regular season by 4 games. We were clearly the best team in the conference.

Who led UConn in points? Newton
Assists? Newton
Rebounds? Newton

Wooden Award top 15? Newton, no Carter
Cousy final 5? Newton, no Carter
AP Big East POY? Newton, not Carter
Sporting News All-American? Newton, Carter didn't make any of the top 3 teams while 2 other BE players did.

I would like to thank the Big East coaches for giving Newton and the team additional motivation heading into the tournaments.

 

[aburks41]

Who cares? It's an individual award. He's as good as Newton offensively and much better defensively. The only point in Newton's favor is the rebounding. But I can see them saying Carter had the best season. Team success shouldn't be a major factor. You can argue that PC being as good as it was despite losing Hopkins is a pretty major endorsement for Carter.

I respectfully disagree. Carter scored a lot of points because his usage was through the roof. People keep saying he dragged his team this year - yeah he dragged them to the NIT. Congrats?

What a terrible endorsement for the league that the POY will be playing in the NIT rather than the PG who will be a 1 seed in the NCAAT.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Just an awful post.

I just don't think it should go to someone on the best team. Sanogo was better than Kolek last year. He should have won. Newton wins on assists, but some of that is down to his excellent teammates. Carter had the better year.

Newton

GP	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	REB	AST	BLK	STL	PF	TO	PTS
31	32.9	40.5	31.5	80.4	7.1	5.8	0.4	1.0	1.9	2.7	15.0

Carter

GP	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	REB	AST	BLK	STL	PF	TO	PTS
30	35.2	47.7	38.5	72.3	8.6	3.6	1.0	1.7	1.9	2.7	19.4

 

[El Obrero]

Newton should be proud to take his place among the greatest snubs in Big East history with Okafor, Kemba, etc.

 

[ScottCT]

I just don't think it should go to someone on the best team. Sanogo was better than Kolek last year. He should have won. Newton wins on assists, but some of that is down to his excellent teammates. Carter had the better year.

Newton

GP	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	REB	AST	BLK	STL	PF	TO	PTS
31	32.9	40.5	31.5	80.4	7.1	5.8	0.4	1.0	1.9	2.7	15.0

Carter

GP	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	REB	AST	BLK	STL	PF	TO	PTS
30	35.2	47.7	38.5	72.3	8.6	3.6	1.0	1.7	1.9	2.7	19.4

you don't think it should go to the best player on the best team but that's how's been done in years past did you make this same statement then?

 

[Devland]

As soon as you disallow a coach to vote for his own player, you make it political. The top candidates were Newton, Schierman, Kolec and Carter. If a coach can't vote for his own player he is not going to vote for his players main competition McDermott, Hurley, and Smart probably figured a player on a 7th place team, only ahead of Gtown and DePaul, wouldn't win. They probably all voted for Carter. English probably voted for a DePaul player. Cooley probably voted for Carter because he coached him. Thus the result.

 

[connVA]

Top 5 in points, rebounds, and steals and 12th in assists. I’m not a big fan of the kid because of all his manufactured drama seemingly every game- including that shoulder thing Sat night- but those are some impressive stats. He can have it along with a banner celebrating their NIT bid.

 

[HuskyHawk]

you don't think it should go to the best player on the best team but that's how's been done in years past did you make this same statement then?

Yes. I thought Sanogo should win last year. I'm not getting bent out of shape about it either way. T-Newt is getting plenty of accolades and it will fuel him to win tournament games.

 

[my2cents]

When winning is not part of the formula, the award doesn't mean much.

 

[August_West]

You could at least spell his name right.

Why is this so upsetting to you? Tristen deserved it, but so did Carter. Is what it is. I like seeing players on my team get accolades too. Tristen has and will win plenty.

 

[ucp990411]

So you who think Tristen should have won because he is the best player on the best team. What do you think about Ohtani winning the MVP?

 

[prankster]

Why is this so upsetting to you? Tristen deserved it, but so did Carter. Is what it is. I like seeing players on my team get accolades too. Tristen has and will win plenty.

Tristen will win when it counts, NBA draft.

 

[REB1094]

If you prioritize “how bad would his team be without him?” more than “how well did his team do?”, this makes sense

Of course that’s inconsistent with how pretty much every basketball league in the world awards their MVPs, but from that perspective it makes sense

Providence is Georgetown level bad without him, and they are .500 in conference with him. That’s a major swing. I guess this year (and this year only), that’s enough to take it

I really like Devin Carter, and I thought Scheierman would win it, but hope this lights a fire in Newton (and Hurley) to destroy everyone for the next few weeks

 

[superjohn]

Why is this so upsetting to you? Tristen deserved it, but so did Carter. Is what it is. I like seeing players on my team get accolades too. Tristen has and will win plenty.

Why is it so upsetting to me that people constantly misspell Tristen's name? It's not but I think fans of UConn basketball should get our players names right.

Tristen deserved to be conference player of the year. Led the team in scoring, assists, and rebounds and the team is historic. It's been 24 Big East seasons since a player from a team in Providence's position won conference player of the year. Troy Murphy's stats were so far ahead of everyone else's and there was no historical Big East team that year, there wasn't even a team in the top 15.

This vote goes against how the Big East votes in other seasons. You don't see this anywhere in basketball that I've seen. If the NBA did this Luka would run away with the MVP.

 

[August_West]

Why is it so upsetting to me that people constantly misspell Tristen's name? It's not but I think fans of UConn basketball should get our players names right.

Tristen deserved to be conference player of the year. Led the team in scoring, assists, and rebounds and the team is historic. It's been 24 Big East seasons since a player from a team in Providence's position won conference player of the year. Troy Murphy's stats were so far ahead of everyone else's and there was no historical Big East team that year, there wasn't even a team in the top 15.

This vote goes against how the Big East votes in other seasons. You don't see this anywhere in basketball that I've seen. If the NBA did this Luka would run away with the MVP.

No not about you being upset a a misspelling, it was about the award itself. Like I said, Tristen absolutely deserved the award. So did Carter. Both for different reasons. It's splitting hairs one way or another. If it went to an a more undeserving player over Tristen I would be bitching too. I think you need to look at numbers that Dauster pulled on Carters adjusted On/off time. They tell the story with him.

 

[BlueMAB]

So you who think Tristen should have won because he is the best player on the best team. What do you think about Ohtani winning the MVP?

You can compare apples to oranges, but what would be the point?