So John Flowers didn’t win the Big East’s defensive player of the year award, which I still find unusual, but understandable since Rick Jackson is a force for Syracuse in the 2-3 zone and has the credentials.

He led the league in blocked shots — Flowers was No. 2 — as well as total rebounding and defensive rebounding. Jackson averaged 7.2 defensive rebounds per game. Flowers averaged 6.6 total rebounds per game. Jackson even had more steals than Flowers.

Say what you will about the 2-3 and Jackson’s activity and assignments, but he had the superior stats and Syracuse was better than WVU in scoring defense and was best in the Big East in field-goal percentage defense. He’s a worthy winner … and John would have been, too.  

So, in short, don’t weep for John Flowers, but definitely keep an eye on him. Maybe he’s disappointed, but he is motivated and he’s done well with that in the past.

Back in 2008, WVU played and lost an NCAA Sweet Sixteen game against Xavier. Flowers was a freshman on that team and he sat on the bench and watched all 45 minutes of a game that went to overtime and went against the Mountaineers largely because they couldn’t defend the Musketeers in the game’s key moments.

“I don’t think he really knew what it took to play defense for Huggs,” said senior point guard Joe Mazzulla of Flowers.

“I think he larned when he didn’t get in the Xavier game it was going to take something else.

“I think he’s really matured and from that point on he started to take defense seriously and commit himself to the game.”