Paige as NPOY

[cbraarj]

It shouldn't be that deep of a dive it just that many of the voters are quite frankly lazy and don't want to do more than superficial home work to look at a few numbers. To their credit one exception might be the AP voters from a couple of years ago who voted Megan Gustafson as POY over Sabrina.

They tend to zero in on a player at the start of the year and very seldom change from that. Sabrina should have won.

 

[dragon]

 

[Gurleyman]

Well, let’s take Charli Collier out of the running after that 2-point, 5-rebound effort vs. Baylor. On paper, I think it’s down to 3 (Bueckers, Evans, Hillmon) barring a late surge from someone (Howard being the most likely). NaLyssa Smith from Baylor averages 18 and 10 and helped hold Collier to 2, so maybe she deserves more of a look, but still hard to put her over Hillmon when looking at frontcourt candidates.

I’m also not sure I’d want to see Baylor in an Elite Eight game the way they defend.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[eebmg]

After Collier's game, is it possible to have negative Win Shares?

 

[bbsamjj]

I agree with everything Gurleyman has said on this year's race, but I have come to defend Megan Gustafson's honor! Someone said, when referencing Hillmon, that maybe the B10 just can't defend post players, and alluded to Gustafson's senior year.

You can look at Gustafson's full senior-year game by game here, but some non B10 highlights:

vs West Virginia: 28pts, 16 rebounds, 12-17FG
vs Florida St: 16pts, 8 rebounds, 8-8FG
vs ND: 26pts, 10 rebounds, 11-16FG
vs NC St (Sweet 16): 27pts, 13 rebounds, 10-14FG
vs Baylor (Elite 8): 23pts, 9 rebounds, 9-17FG

For the year, she averaged 27.6ppg; 13.3rpg, 70%FG, and 79%FT. Iowa finished 29-7, won the B10 Tournament, and made it to the Elite 8--it's very likely they're not even an NCAA team without her.

She was a worthy NPOY, no matter who she was up against. That's an incredible college season.

 

[Gurleyman]

WSlam had a tweet where they put up a top 4 of Paige, Evans, Collier and Boston and then quickly added more when some people were complaining about who was missing. Very unscientific with responses of course. I don’t think Boston is in the mix - team is just too balanced. Although perhaps if she had a putback to win, they’d be No. 1, Paige would have lost the 3-3, 9-point overtime and it would all be different.

 

[Childhood]

I wonder that too

 

[Gurleyman]

Another statement from Naz Hillmon - 31 on 12-14 shooting in an 86-82 win over Michigan State. She’s probably going to be a factor in the NPOY race unless Michigan stumbles down the stretch. Seems like good Big 10 post players basically have a layup line, but without watching, I don’t know for sure. Can’t argue with 12-14.

 

[bbsamjj]

what will likely hurt Naz Hillmon is the lack of games, due to Michigan's extended COVID pause, and in particular, lack of national coverage for her games. (Their matchup against #10 Maryland, which was scheduled to be on ESPN, was postponed). That being said, this Sunday they play Ohio St on ESPN2.

 

[darkstar1]

Another statement from Naz Hillmon - 31 on 12-14 shooting in an 86-82 win over Michigan State. She’s probably going to be a factor in the NPOY race unless Michigan stumbles down the stretch. Seems like good Big 10 post players basically have a layup line, but without watching, I don’t know for sure. Can’t argue with 12-14.

Watched the game. Pretty much every Hillmon basket a wide open gimme. Not much defense. Can’t deny the Hillmon stat lines, but I’ve seen many Big Ten games and I just think the league as a whole is simply overrated. Would like to see some legit OOC play to compare. DePaul and Marquette might be ranked higher if they played in the big 10.

 

[ucbart]

I think multiple players will win awards. I think the awards with a lot of voters, all over the country, are the ones Paige could win. I think a smaller voting pool with people who are really niche Women's basketball people, will vote for the senior Dana Evans.

You can make a case for many players.

Dana Evans plays on a great team, she is the best player, does super well in crunch time and is a senior.
Rhyne Howard was Miss ESPN to start the season and puts up great stats.
Alliyah Boston plays on a great team and is the best combo of offense and defense in the country.
Paige-enough said.

 

[Gurleyman]

I like today’s effort when it comes to the NPOY race. Didn‘t put up anything gaudy against a bad team that would make people question her stats. Just more ridiculous efficiency. I mean, 20 points on 8-10 with 9 assists and 1 TO is crazy. Put another way, she produced 18 successful possessions (8 buckets, 1 trip to the line (2-2), 9 assists) and only 3 empty ones (2 misses, 1 TO). You just never see that. In fairness, she did miss a pass to Christyn on the break when she went Eurostepping, so she should run windsprints for that one.

She has now shot over 50 percent from the floor in nine straight games since UT, doing that while getting very few easy layups.

 

[MSGRET]

She is the first Freshman ever to win the USBWA National Player of the Week and National Freshman of the Week simultaneously and the first Freshman to win the Big East POW and FOW in back to back weeks. So I think she has a chance at the NPOY honors as well as NFOY.

 

[dtbtbtb]

is there a better shooter than Paige in WBB? a great great shooter is one that shoots 50-40-90...well, Paige is shooting 55-55-80...that's crazy

 

[Carnac]

Changing sports for a moment, I am pretty sure that Tom Brady's seven Super Bowl Championships in ten attempts as starting Quarterback is only breakable by Tom Brady....

Yes sir!!! You can set THAT record right up there on the top shelf. Along side the other records in professional sports that have been identified/labeled as RECORDS THAT WILL NEVER BE BROKEN.

 

[Gurleyman]

is there a better shooter than Paige in WBB? a great great shooter is one that shoots 50-40-90...well, Paige is shooting 55-55-80...that's crazy

Actually up to 58-56-81. Don’t sell her short! (haha)

The short answer is no, and the long answer is also no. Some shooters have great percentages solely because they are selective, only shooting spot up jumpers when they are wide open by playing off other people. Or by getting to the rim for a good amount of layups for their two pointers. But doing that will only get you 10-12 ppg. The more you score, the more people will take away what you want to do and you can’t just simply spot up. They’ll stay at home and make you do something else.

What Paige is doing is unheard of - so much so that we literally can’t expect this to be normal for her and think she’ll do this every year. Her percentages could drop to 50-40-85 next year and she might still be a better player than she is now. The ball isn’t supposed to go in this consistently.

 

[hoophuskee]

Actually up to 58-56-81. Don’t sell her short! (haha)

The short answer is no, and the long answer is also no. Some shooters have great percentages solely because they are selective, only shooting spot up jumpers when they are wide open by playing off other people. Or by getting to the rim for a good amount of layups for their two pointers. But doing that will only get you 10-12 ppg. The more you score, the more people will take away what you want to do and you can’t just simply spot up. They’ll stay at home and make you do something else.

What Paige is doing is unheard of - so much so that we literally can’t expect this to be normal for her and think she’ll do this every year. Her percentages could drop to 50-40-85 next year and she might still be a better player than she is now. The ball isn’t supposed to go in this consistently.

She's the best player in wcbb, regardless if she gets the most votes for NPOY. In complete awe with what she's doing.

 

[nutmegger]

Yes sir!!! You can set THAT record right up there on the top shelf. Along side the other records in professional sports that have been identified/labeled as RECORDS THAT WILL NEVER BE BROKEN.

Bill Russell of the Celtics won 11 championshps in 13 seasons.

 

[cohenzone]

She's the best player in wcbb, regardless if she gets the most votes for NPOY. In complete awe with what she's doing.

If Azzi Fudd is a better shooter than Paige, they better use fire proof nets.

 

[Carnac]

Bill Russell of the Celtics won 11 championshps in 13 seasons.

Right!! In Tom’s case, I was thinking “NFL” records. Tom has 7. Charles Haley of the 49’ers & Cowboys has 5. There are multiple NFL players with 4. I’m strongly suggesting that other than maybe Brady, no other NFL player is winning 8.

In the NBA, Jordan’s 6 championships is the gold standard that all of the current greats shoot for, and recent greats shot for. Magic and Kobe have 5, and wanted desperately to get number 6.

THAT was their goal because it was attainable. Russell’s 11 never entered their mind. LeBron has his eyes on 2-3 more. Time is running out for him. He’d like to pass Mike with 3 more championships, because Jordan is thought to be the greatest NBA player of all time, not Russell. LeBron would settle with 6.

If he stays healthy and driven, it’s not out of the realm of possibility, though I believe it’s highly improbable. He may get one more Maybe 2. Reaching Russell’s 11 is completely out of the question.

Russell’s Celtics dominated the NBA during an era unlike today. According to Google, there were only 8 teams in the NBA in the late 50’s. Less than a third of the 30 teams we have today. It’s easier to win a 3 horse race than a 10 horse race.

 

[ConnecticutBB]

Who is on the committee that does the voting?

 

[jabstep]

I think after watching a lot of games so far this year three players stand out for me. Paige, Evans, and Boston. They all carry their teams to where they are for different reasons. Boston is on my list because of her defensive presence in the middle. She makes it hard to score on them and she has added outside shooting to her game this year. Evans because she can score whenever she wants and makes very good decisions with the ball. She also is a senior with excellent leadership. Paige because she can score whenever she wants. She works the screens and has become so adept at scoring off them so quickly. She is unstoppable. Her passing is also off the charts. Her anticipation on defense which I thought she would struggle with has improved dramatically. It is a tough decision but the winner is
Paige Beckers over Evans by a hair.

 

[eebmg]

I think after watching a lot of games so far this year three players stand out for me. Paige, Evans, and Boston. They all carry their teams to where they are for different reasons. Boston is on my list because of her defensive presence in the middle. She makes it hard to score on them and she has added outside shooting to her game this year. Evans because she can score whenever she wants and makes very good decisions with the ball. She also is a senior with excellent leadership. Paige because she can score whenever she wants. She works the screens and has become so adept at scoring off them so quickly. She is unstoppable. Her passing is also off the charts. Her anticipation on defense which I thought she would struggle with has improved dramatically. It is a tough decision but the winner is
Paige Beckers over Evans by a hair.

First in looking up that stats, Aliyah is 23% from 3pt and she is 50% from 2 which is a very disappointing number for some one of her skill and size. I am a fan of hers but I do not think she is in the conversation anymore. The 2 really bad point blank shot misses in the UConn SC game at end of regulation probably put the final nail in the coffin. I think it is a 2 person race with Evans and Paige although Caitlin might wow a few voters if she puts together more 30+ games. Paige is trying so hard to distribute and be a good "citizen" to get CW and Liv more involved that I do not see any more 30 pt games for Paige in the remaining future Big East schedule