After the jump, find my choices for the All-Pac-12 1st and honorable mention teams, along with my Player, Coach, Freshman, and Defender of the Year.
Please remember that the Rumblin' Awards are a black tie affair.
All Pac-12 First Team
(presented in alphabetical order)
- Jahii Carson - G - Arizona St -17.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 5.0 apg, 101.2 Ortg, 91% min
The freshman sensation. His absence last season was obviously the reason ASU struggled so much in '11-'12. He's a dynamic presence, one that transformed the Sun Devils from also-ran to contender... if only for a few months.
- Allen Crabbe - G - Cal - 18.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.7 apg, 110.6 Ortg, 90% min
Conference leader in scoring (all games), while also chipping in relatively high rebound and assist totals. The primary scoring threat on one of the hottest teams in the nation. Single-handedly willed the Bears to wins in at least four games.
- Spencer Dinwiddie - G - Colorado - 15.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.0 apg, 116.2 Ortg, 75.9 FT rate
Spencer does it all. Scoring, distributing, defense. His free throw rate is eye-popping. When he's getting the calls, the Buffs are damn tough to beat, regardless of venue and opponent.
Do not make him mad. Poor E.J. Singler cried about getting fouled on a play back in February, and Spencer held him to only two points in March.
- Larry Drew II - G - UCLA -7.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 7.7 apg, 105.2 Ortg, 36.1 assist rate
On a team littered with freshmen and transfers, this mercenary senior point guard controlled the show, judiciously distributing precious touches to the hungry cubs on the roster. He ended up 3rd in the nation in assists per game, all while guiding his team to a league title.
- Carrick Felix - F - Arizona St - 14.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 1.1 bpg, 111.1 Ortg, 57.2% eFG
Carrick shocked me this season by taking a major leap forward. He's a tough player to guard, and a solid rebounder. His leap forward helped ASU make some noise for a few weeks.
- Arsalan Kazemi - F - Oregon - 9.3 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 2.2 spg, 118.2 Ortg, 28.4 DR%, 84.4 FT rate
The advanced metrics king. He only grabbed about 65% of available minutes, but this guy made them count. With a higher rebounding rate then 'Dre, and a higher free throw rate than Spencer, you have to wonder why the Iranian transfer couldn't stay on the court longer.
- Brock Motum - F - Washington St - 18.4 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 103.9 ORtg, 32% shots
Mr. Cougar. He was Washington St, leading them in points, rebounds, FG%, and minutes per game. Without him, these guys are in big trouble. With, they're just below respectability.
- Shabazz Muhammad - F - UCLA -18.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 108.0 Ortg
Shabazz hit Westwood with only one goal in mind: score. And he did so, in bunches. He did next to nothing without the ball in his hands, however. I hope he enjoyed his four months of classes.
- Dwight Powell - F - Stanford - 15.1 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.1 apg, 107.5 Ortg, 23.7 DR%
He's Pac-12 top-10 in both scoring and rebounds, and cracked double-figures in scoring for each of his conference games. While many of his teammates failed to live up to expectations, Dwight exceeded them.
- Andre Roberson - F - Colorado - 10.8 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 2.3 spg, 100.0 Ortg, 27.7 DR%
As the only player in the conference to average a double-double, 'Dre is a lock. It certainly doesn't hurt that he leads the league in steals per game and rebounding.
Honorable Mentions -
(presented in alphabetical order)
- Jordan Adams - G - UCLA - 15.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.2 spg, 114.4 Ortg, 4.1 steal percentage
I really wanted to find a 1st team spot for him. When watching the Bruins play, he always seemed to be, more than even 'Bazz, the scoring piece they could least afford to lose. His steal rate was a nice surprise to uncover.
- Dominic Artis - G - Oregon - 9.5 ppg, 2.3 apg, 3.5 apg, 95.6 Ortg, 3.7 steal percentage
I have to give a nod to a player who's so vital to his team's performance that his absence sends them into a three-game tailspin. I'm scared of what he can accomplish in his sophomore campaign.
- Joe Burton - C - Oregon St -11.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 3.4 apg, 101.1 Ortg
Do-it-all Joe won me over this year. Not only does he drop a respectable 11/7, he also leads his team in assists from the center spot. And he brings that old school hook with him. Forget how out of shape he looks, I just love to watch him play
- Justin Cobbs - G - Cal - 15.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 4.8 apg, 104.9 Ortg, 88.7% min
The other half of the Crabbe/Cobbs double-'b' duo, Cobbs would've easily been the star on any other team. Combined, the pair notched a ridiculous 50% of Cal's points this year.
- Solomon Hill - F - Arizona - 13.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.7 apg, 112.8 Ortg
Hill is so obviously talented that it's hard to keep him off the 1st team. However, he likes to disappear in games, and seemed to under perform lofty expectations.
- Josh Huestis - F - Stanford - 10.5 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.0 bpg, 107.7 Ortg
Huestis is the only player on Stanford who really worries me. He does everything, and makes for a difficult matchup on both sides of the ball
- Mark Lyons - G - Arizona - 14.9 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 3.9 apg, 106.0 Ortg
When Lyons played well, the Wildcats rolled. When he left the reservation, the Wildcats lost.
- Aziz N'Diaye - C - Washington - 9.2 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 100.8 Ortg, 14.1 OR%
Big Aziz made for a scary inside presence. I love his offensive rebound rates. With a better point guard, he'd be lethal.
- Roberto Nelson - F - Oregon St - 17.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.4 apg,111.7 Ortg, 6.0 FD/40
Lead the Pac-12 in conference game scoring with 19.1 ppg. The Beavers struggled too much as a whole for him to get more consideration for POY and 1st team honors, though.
- C.J. Wilcox - G - Washington - 16.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.0 apg, 110.9 Ortg, 86.4% min
On a schizophrenic Husky squad, Wilcox was the lone dependable scoring threat.
USC and Utah didn't place any players on either of my lists. Both teams had redeeming years, climbing out of laughing-stock territory and into some-level of respectability. The problem is none of their individual players proved to me that they were heads and shoulders above those mentioned above. This isn't the MLB All-Star game, there are no guaranteed slots.
I will point out that J.T. Terrell and Jason Washburn has some big games for USC and Utah, respectively. If I had to pick from the Trojans and Utes, they'd be it.
--
Individual Awards
Player of the Year - Allen Crabbe
Runner-up - Spencer Dinwiddie
Crabbe isn't the clear-cut winner that many want him to be. While he has the *ahem* "Heisman moment" of his 31 point effort in the road upset of Arizona, he struggled down the stretch. Additionally, as I discussed in my last Cal preview, that team wins because of it's defensive skills, not because Crabbe and Cobbs get buckets.
The problem is, no one else stepped up to wrench the award out of his hands. 'Bazz Muhammad just scored, and counted his future NBA earnings. Motum didn't win enough. Carson had an incredibly strong season, but his team collapsed down the stretch. Kazemi wasn't on the court enough (only 65% of minutes).
Dinwiddie is the closest competition in my eyes. While Crabbe is mostly an Alec Burks type, putting up gaudy top-line numbers, Spencer is a super-Cory Higgins, filling the sheet, playing withering man-defense, and using his abundant athleticism to fill any role asked for. The problem with the Mayor is that the Buffs were far too inconsistent this year. Had CU finished strong, it would've been a much tougher decision.
It's interesting to note that in the final matchup between these two, neither had a particularly strong game. Spencer had 9/6/4 on 2-15 shooting, while Crabbe had 8/7/5 on 4-10. Crabbe got the win, a top-4 seed in the Pac-12 tournament, and, ultimately, my vote. Had Spencer exploded, leading the injury-plagued Buffs to a road victory and the bye, I'd have given him the nod.
Coach of the Year - Ben Howland
Co-runners-up - Mike Montgomery, Dana Altman
Monty had my vote up until the Stanford game. Altman then had my vote up until the disastrous final trip east to the mountain schools. Collapsing with a title on the line is not the way to earn my vote.
In the end, in a massive upset, I'm going with Ben Howland. (That noise you hear is Bruins Nation bellowing in disagreement.) The thing that sways me is all that Howland had to put with. The aftermath of a SI takedown, a fan base that openly hates him, dead crowds at all but one home game, a program legend calling for your head on national TV, and a roster of freshmen and transfers in it for themselves. Through it all, the time-out machine kept the ship pointed generally in the right direction, and climbed over a litany of pretenders to claim the league title. Sure, he came in with the most talent, and had more first-place votes in the preseason poll than any other team, but I just can't justify giving it to anyone else.
By default, my selection is Howland ... now watch him get fired after they get bounced in the 'second' round of the Tournament.
Freshman of the Year - Jahii Carson
Runner-up - Dominic Artis
Yeah, I passed over 'Bazz. He was a purely offensive presence, and didn't seem to care when he didn't have the ball in his hands. Additionally, while he lived up to his preseason projections, both Carson and Artis surpassed theirs, making their respective teams much better in the process.
Think of it this way, when Dominic Artis was out for nine games, the Ducks became a completely different team, and lost about .1 ppp. UCLA didn't lose a game until Shabazz cleared eligibility. If 'Bazz went out with an injury tomorrow, I don't think it would do all that much damage to the Bruins, possibly the opposite. Muhammad is a great player, and will earn plenty of money in the pros, but he doesn't make or break UCLA. Carson and Artis were the difference for their squads.
Carson gets the nod over Artis because he actually played for most of the season. While Dominic's injury underscored exactly how important he was to Oregon, it still keeps him from seriously contending for this award.
Defensive Player of the Year - Andre Roberson
Runner-up - Arsalan Kazemi
This was actually closer than you would think. While neither of these guys got as much pub as some other defenders, they are, far and away, the best in the Pac-12.
'Dre gets the nod because he's a national leader in a category (rebounding), but Kazemi's advanced metrics are knee-buckling. In the end, 'Dre leads the nation in board work, leads the conference in steals per game, and carried his team to victory, almost entirely through his defense, on at least four occasions. 'Nuff said.
Congrats to the winners! Your trophies are in the mail, I promise.
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