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WVU has its fingerprints on Big 12 awards

March 6, 2017 by Mike Casazza

I know people like to reminisce and go back to when Jae Crowder was named the Big East player of the year in 2012 over Kevin Jones. I’m still torn on that, and honestly, the bigger crime was Rick Jackson getting defensive player of the year over John Flowers a year earlier.

There’s no injustice and there will be no inquiry this season. Jevon Carter was named the Big 12’s defensive player of the year Sunday.

Carter leads the Big 12 with 85 steals and is the third player in conference history to be a three-time member of the All-Defensive Team. He ranks sixth nationally in steals and is third all-time in school history for thefts in a season. Carter is the first WVU player to earn the conference defensive award since the school joined the Big 12.

There was zero doubt about this, right? It’s a big deal for a guard and a big deal for coaches not to look at blocked shots and cast their ballots accordingly. Reputation matters, and Carter’s is that of the least-subtle pick pocket in America. Carter, of course, had a first-team all-conference season, but as we predicted a while back, there just wasn’t room for him on the first team. Second team in this league is just fine — do you know how good Naz Mitrou-Long was in Big 12 play this year?

Another big deal? Carter is on the cusp of history: No Big 12 player has ever been a four-time all-defense pick. It was also righteous of the Big 12 coaches to include Nate Adrian on the all-defense team. It’s earned, but in the most intricate ways that are probably best captured and appreciated on film and in preparation.

Kudos to Tarik Phillip, who started 14 times in the regular season and eight times in conference play and was nevertheless named the Big 12’s sixth man of the year. That trophy will reside next to the one Jaysean Paige won last season. The funny thing about this award is Phillip, who is absolutely wired to be a super sub, absolutely believes he ought to start.

I suppose the only potential hangup is Bill Self getting coach of the year … but it not him, then who?