Should UConn's Paige Bueckers win national player of the year?

[Kaizen]

Some years the national player of the year in women's college basketball is suspense-free, the coronation of a player who led the race start to finish. Think Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu last season, or UConn's Breanna Stewart in 2016. Other times, it's a two-player battle. And then there's this season, in which several players -- including UConn freshman guard Paige Bueckers -- are in the mix.

Bueckers isn't a one-woman show; juniors Christyn Williams (15.4 PPG), Olivia Nelson-Ododa (13.0 PPG) and Evina Westbrook (9.5 PPG), and freshman Aaliyah Edwards (10.7 PPG) are providing good support. They've all contributed to the Huskies' defensive improvement over the course of the season. But Bueckers is still UConn's engine.

Bottom line: Bueckers has made a compelling case to make awards history.

Should UConn's Paige Bueckers win national player of the year?

No freshman has ever been named the national women's player of the year, but the UConn star has made a compelling case. Who else is in the running?

www.espn.com

 

[BostonBay]

No player in the country more all-rounded than Paige - best shooter, near top in assists good rebounding, good defense - all while playing nearly the entire game, sometimes at less than 100%. What "separates" Paige from the others is she plays her best against top competition when it counts & when the team needs her the most. IOWs, she's clutch, not a stat-stuffer. She makes everyone around her better. UConn is nowhere near ranked #1 without her.

 

[eebmg]

Michelle actually puts the candidates in order (i.e her preference) since she says

Taking all those things into account, here is a look at the top candidates, listed in order of most likely to win at least one national player of the year accolade.

Paige
Evans
Howard
Smith
Clark (sic. getting the shaft a bit?)
Boston
McDonald
Collier

Maybe Caitlin will go for 70 against Indiana?

 

[Kaizen]

Michelle actually puts the candidates in order (i.e her preference) since she says

Taking all those things into account, here is a look at the top candidates, listed in order of most likely to win at least one national player of the year accolade.

Paige
Evans
Howard
Smith
Clark (sic. getting the shaft a bit?)
Boston
McDonald
Collier

Maybe Caitlin will go for 70 against Indiana?

LOL I really wish Michelle has big influence on the committees.

 

[CocoHusky]

LOL I really wish Michelle has big influence on the committees.

You and me both! Of course a few on this board don't care very much for Mechelle. I just hope those contrarians read this article.

 

[Lorcan]

I'm disappointed that Naz Hillmon doesn't even get a mention in this conversation. She's had a heck of a year.

 

[huskeynut]

Good writing by Michelle. We will see if the powers that be agree with her.

 

[Centerstream]

I'm disappointed that Naz Hillmon doesn't even get a mention in this conversation. She's had a heck of a year.

Um, maybe because the vast majority of people here are UConn fans???

 

[huskyd]

Given the choice between the NPOY and the NC, I'm sure most would take the latter. If UConn wins the NC this year, that should solidify Paige's grip on the NPOY (assuming she remains as important to the Huskies' success going forward). If UConn falls short of the NC, then IMO it's a crap shoot for NPOY. The most important player on the best team in the country is a no-brainer for all available accolades.

 

[Gurleyman]

Michelle actually puts the candidates in order (i.e her preference) since she says

Taking all those things into account, here is a look at the top candidates, listed in order of most likely to win at least one national player of the year accolade.

Paige
Evans
Howard
Smith
Clark (sic. getting the shaft a bit?)
Boston
McDonald
Collier

Maybe Caitlin will go for 70 against Indiana?

No - Clark isn’t getting the shaft. The lowest ranked player to ever win the Naismith award was Kelsey Plum for No. 12 Washington, when she averaged over 30 as a senior and set the NCAA scoring record. Cheryl Miller is the only other player to win it outside the top 10 - when she repeated for No. 11 USC in 1985.

Clark plays for a unranked team (No. 32 or so if you count the ARV teams) and is in seventh place in the Big 10.

Actually only 6 have ever won it in 40 years from outside the top six, including Plum, Gustafson (8) and Wilson (7) in a recent three-year span.

 

[dtbtbtb]

In reality there should be only 2 candidates: Paige and D. Evans.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

Um, maybe because the vast majority of people here are UConn fans???

Great point (re, BY members being primarily UConn fans)... but I believe @Lorcan was noting that the ESPN article didn't even mention Hilman as one of the top candidates.

As for the article... I am both surprised and impressed that Mechelle Voepel has Paige as the top candidate... not because she doesn't deserve it, but because she is a Freshman. This is a wide open competition...anyone's guess. We should also feel confident that the "Voters" will see this ranking by Mechelle...and while it's only her "opinion"...it might figure in to each of the voter's thoughts and decision on for whom to vote. Of course I am pulling for the kid from Minnesota!

 

[eebmg]

Great point (re, BY members being primarily UConn fans)... but I believe @Lorcan was noting that the ESPN article didn't even mention Hilman as one of the top candidates.

As for the article... I am both surprised and impressed that Michele Voepel has Paige as the top candidate... not because she doesn't deserve it, but because she is a Freshman. This is a wide open competition...anyone's guess. Of course I am pulling for the kid from Minnesota!

I am surprised that Hilman is not on the list and I think it must be an oversight

 

[BostonBay]

When does voting happen - End of regular season, conference tournament, national tournament?

 

[Gurleyman]

Sort of true - but theyve all been double digit wins, some by 30-40 points, so it falls a little bit in the shoulder shrug category. If you want to put the Marquette game in the not-POY category since they were more of a quality opponent, then you have to add the 30 on 12-18 in the first meeting (all in the first 3Q) to her list of big games against quality teams.

But she definitely didn’t finish strong, so that does hurt. Bad last impression and all.

Before giving Hillmon the award, I’d like to see Michigan beat someone of note (ie tomorrow against Maryland). They have no great wins and just got whomped by unranked Iowa, which is further back than Marquette in the ARV category. If they lose to Maryland they might fall down into the 15-20 range of the final rankings, an area where NPOYs historically don’t reside.

 

[Gurleyman]

When does voting happen - End of regular season, conference tournament, national tournament?

The voting is based only on the regular season - but they probably do the actual vote some time after the conference tournaments (with only regular season data), which means voters will have the conference tournaments in their minds, even if they aren’t supposed to include it. Some conferences do their tourneys while other leagues are finishing out the regular season (Big 10 regular season is still going this week), so it’s unavoidable to a degree

 

[CTtoSanDiego]

Given the choice between the NPOY and the NC, I'm sure most would take the latter. If UConn wins the NC this year, that should solidify Paige's grip on the NPOY (assuming she remains as important to the Huskies' success going forward). If UConn falls short of the NC, then IMO it's a crap shoot for NPOY. The most important player on the best team in the country is a no-brainer for all available accolades.

And I'm certain that Paige would also choose the NC as well....

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

I am surprised that Hilman is not on the list and I think it must be an oversight

Not so sure about "oversight"... since Mechelle also co-wrote (w/Charlie Creme) the ESPN article where they listed top candidates for every Conference POY, and Hilman was her #1 choice in the B1G.

 

[Waquoit]

Winning matters. I have no clue about the others. Have any made all the big shots in the big spots she has? Besides running the offense and defense on the top-ranked team.

 

[Nolefan]

Paige also does so much to make the players around here so much better even though her stats are down the last few games does Evans do that for Louisville? Last few games I’ve seen her she’s not a passer or defender just more of a offensive weapon but again I haven’t watched all her games so could be a tad off .

 

[topogigio]

This is a competition between Paige and Evans. Naz, she pushes and shoves, gets rebounds and puts them back in. Not much else.

 

[bluedevil]

Winning matters. I have no clue about the others. Have any made all the big shots in the big spots she has? Besides running the offense and defense on the top-ranked team.

Dan Marino never won a super bowl so is never in the best quarterback ever discussion. Like it or not to be the best you have to win titles...not saying its right.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Regardless of the answer, it's mind-boggling that a respected writer even asks that question. I agree with Mechelle that, as I've said for a while, this is a year in which multiple players win different NPOY awards.

Mechelle's list mentions players who likely will make 5-player and especially 10-player All-American lists. In terms of NPOY awards, I see only 4 candidates, and 2 of them are at the top. I think Paige and Dana Evans may split some awards. I think they are the top 2 players. I can see Clark and Hillmon possibly winning an award. I honestly think no one else deserves any of the NPOY awards, though there are some excellent players who are deserving of 1st team All-American recognition.

If Paige's numbers has been stronger in her last 4 games, she might have been the clear winner. Let's see what she does in the BET.