SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Just got situated here for the MAAC semifinals at the MassMutual Center.
The All-Big East Teams were released today and here are a few thoughts.
First, Marquette’s Jae Crowder was the lone unanimous selection to the All-Big East First Team, which could be an indication that he will be named Player of the Year on Tuesday.
Both Mike Waters of the Syracuse Post-Standard and myself picked Crowder — and our explanations are here in this video — although our votes don’t count in the actual voting. The bottom line is that Crowder’s team won 13 of its final 15 league games and he won back-to-back Big East Player of the Week honors during that stretch. Jones, whom I have covered since high school and have mad respect for as a player and person, played for a team that lost seven of its final 11.
Second, while I think you could make a strong case that Crowder, Darius Johnson-Odom, Kevin Jones and Kris Joseph all should have been unanimous picks, the most shocking to me is Jones.
Jones led the league in scoring and rebounding, yet at least one coach left him off First Team, suggesting that, as one Big East coach told me, someone has “an axe to grind” against Mounties coach Bob Huggins or his program, or perhaps their agenda was to push their own kid to First Team.
As UConn’s Kyle Muncy pointed out, at least one coach left Kemba Walker off First Team last year, so go figure.
Either way, whoever this year’s coach was should really be ashamed of himself. And going forward, the league should make the votes public so coaches have to stand accountable.
“I Tweeted that I can’t understand it,” Huggins told SNY.tv by phone. “[Jones] leads the league in scoring and rebounding in conference games. He leads the league in scoring and rebounding in all games.”
Asked if he thought someone had an agenda, Huggins said, “I got no idea. I don’t know why they would have an agenda against me. I like everybody.”
ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM
Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut, G, So., 6-5, 185, Norcross, Ga.
Jason Clark, Georgetown, G, Sr., 6-2, 170, Arlington, Va.
*Jae Crowder, Marquette, F, Sr., 6-6, 235, Villa Rica, Ga.
Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette, G, Sr., 6-2, 215, Raleigh, N.C.
Kris Joseph, Syracuse, F, Sr., 6-7, 210, Montreal, Quebec
Kevin Jones, West Virginia, F, Sr., 6-8, 260, Mount Vernon, N.Y.
ALL-BIG EAST SECOND TEAM
Sean Kilpatrick, Cincinnati, G, So., 6-4, 215, White Plains, N.Y.
Jack Cooley, Notre Dame, F, Jr., 6-9, 244, Glenview, Ill.
Jordan Theodore, Seton Hall, G, Sr., 6-0, 174, Englewood, N.J.
Scoop Jardine, Syracuse, G, Sr., 6-2, 190, Philadelphia, Pa.
Maalik Wayns, Villanova, G, Jr., 6-2, 200, Philadelphia, Pa.
ALL-BIG EAST THIRD TEAM
Henry Sims, Georgetown, C, Sr., 6-10, 232, Baltimore, Md.
Vincent Council, Providence, G, Jr., 6-2, 180, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Herb Pope, Seton Hall, F, Sr., 6-8, 236, Aliquippa, Pa.
Dion Waiters, Syracuse, G, So., 6-4, 215, Philadelphia, Pa.
Darryl Bryant, West Virginia, G, Sr., 6-2, 195, Brooklyn, N.Y.
BIG EAST HONORABLE MENTION
Cleveland Melvin, DePaul, F, So., 6-8, 205, Baltimore, Md.
Hollis Thompson, Georgetown, F, Sr., 6-7, 205, Los Angeles, Calif.
Kyle Kuric, Louisville, G-F, Sr., 6-4, 185, Evansville, Ind.
Ashton Gibbs, Pittsburgh, G, Sr., 6-2, 190, Scotch Plains, N.J.
Moe Harkless, St. John’s, F, Fr., 6-8, 190, Queens, N.Y.
BIG EAST ALL-ROOKIE TEAM^
Andre Drummond, Connecticut, C, Fr., 6-11, 275, Middletown, Conn.
Chane Behanan, Louisville, F, Fr., 6-7, 250, Bowling Green, Ky.
Jerian Grant, Notre Dame, G, So., 6-5, 185, Bowie, Md.
LaDontae Henton, Providence, F, Fr., 6-6, 220 Lansing, Mich.
Moe Harkless, St. John’s, F, Fr., 6-8, 190, Queens, N.Y.
D’Angelo Harrison, St. John’s, G, Fr., 6-3, 186, Missouri City, Texas
Anthony Collins, USF, G, Fr., G, 6-1, 175, Houston, Texas
*Denotes unanimous selection.
^Due to a tie in the voting, an additional position was named.
Photo: AP
