The list of Mountain West Conference postseason award winners is out, and what follows is a breakdown of how the honor roll compares to my ballot picks. I will list the discrepancies between my ballot and the MWC tally.
You can also see my blog entry "Brackets and Ballots" for more on each selection I made.
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Individual honors--
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Player of the Year:
MWC: Darington Hobson, UNM
GW: Jimmer Fredette, BYU
Very surprised that Fredette did not at very least share this honor. If Hobson's backers voted for "the best player on the best team," (a debatable point, considering Dairse Gary's impact), then so be it. But if any one of New Mexico's narrow escapes had gone the other way, those same voters would have been taking Jimmer Fredette, ostensibly.
I simply don't believe that one game's difference in the standings is enough to override the statistical advantage that Fredette held over Hobson, as a scorer and shooter--from the field, the arc and the stripe. I can't help but think about the fact that New Mexico won the title-clinching game as Fredette watched from the sidelines while sick; essentially, that one game cost Fredette the POY award.
Hobson is a tremendous player, who led his team in scoring, rebounds and assists. He is a deserving honoree. I thought Fredette would be more of a factor in the balloting; it's interesting that a nominee for three national POY awards doesn't win his conference's top honor.
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Defensive Player of the Year:
MWC: David Foster, Utah
GW: Jackson Emery, BYU
I said pretty much all I have to say on this a couple of weeks ago in a blog entry entitled "Getting Defensive". Suffice it to say that I prefer the Defensive Player of the Year be more of a complete "player," and Jackson Emery is just that. Perhaps the league should change the award to "Best Shot Blocker" and just make it even easier for voters. Five of the last six DPOY award winners have led the league in blocked shots.
By the way, Foster becomes only the second DPOY winner not to appear on the 1st, 2nd or 3rd Team (Joel Anthony, UNLV, 2007).
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Newcomer of the Year:
MWC: Darington Hobson, UNM
GW: Darington Hobson, UNM
No contest.
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Freshman of the Year:
MWC: Kawhi Leonard, SDSU
GW: Kawhi Leonard, SDSU
Leonard overtook Tyler Haws for this award by averaging a double-double in league play; he also becomes the first MWC freshman to be named to the all-MWC 1st Team.
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Sixth Man of the Year:
MWC: Jonathan Tavernari, BYU
GW: Jonathan Tavernari, BYU
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Coach of the Year:
MWC: Steve Alford, UNM
GW: Dave Rose, BYU
For my thoughts on this award, see the latter part of this blog entry from Saturday, in addition to "Brackets and Ballots".
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1st Team:
All players listed were as I selected.
MWC: Gary, Hobson, Fredette, Leonard, Willis
GW: Gary, Hobson, Fredette, Leonard, Willis
Note again that Kawhi Leonard becomes the first MWC freshman to receive 1st Team honors.
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2nd Team:
MWC: Emery, Martinez, Thomas, Moss, Ogide
GW: Emery, Martinez, Thomas, Tavernari, Stanback
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3rd Team:
MWC: Haws, Jackson, Brown, Tavernari, Stanback
GW: Haws, Jackson, Brown, Moss, Ogide
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I think Tavernari and Stanback are better players than Ogide and Moss, on better teams. I think a player from a losing team has to be extraordinary to get recognition on a 1st or 2nd Team, and I don't think either Moss or Ogide qualified.
In the end, the 15 players honored by he league's voters were the 15 players I selected on my ballot.
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All-Defensive Team:
MWC: Foster, Emery, Willis, Stanback, Gary
GW: Foster, Emery, Willis, Stanback, Miles
Gary is not known for his defense, nor is New Mexico as a team. Miles was a stronger defender in the post than Gary was at the perimeter, and Miles played for a better defensive team. This was an unusual category, in which voters had to pick five players from only seven nominees.
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| Date | Opponent Site |
Time Result |
| 9/4 |
 Washington Huskies
Lavell Edwards Stadium Provo, Utah |
5:00 pm |
| 9/11 |
 @ Air Force Falcons
|
2:00 pm |
| 9/18 |
 @ Florida St. Seminoles
|
1:30 pm |
| 9/25 |
 Nevada Wolf Pack
|
4:00 pm |
| 10/1 |
 @ Utah St. Aggies
|
6:00 pm |
| 10/9 |
 San Diego St. Aztecs
|
4:00 pm |
| 10/16 |
 @ TCU Horned Frogs
|
2:00 pm |
| 10/23 |
 Wyoming Cowboys
|
12:00 pm |
| 11/6 |
 UNLV Runnin' Rebels
|
12:00 pm |
| 11/13 |
 @ Colorado St. Rams
|
12:00 pm |
| 11/20 |
 New Mexico Lobos
|
4:00 pm |
| 11/27 |
 @ Utah Utes
|
1:30 pm |
BYU
Cougar Cuts
