MVC Player of the Year

[collegehoopjunkie]

If you had to vote today for the MVC Player of the Year, who would you pick?

Here would be my top 15 or so candidates in order, but I admit it is very tough because the Valley has such good team play that no individual has really stood out thus far, while several individuals have demonstrated extremely fine play!

1 ) Blake Ahearn
2 ) Jeremy Crouch
3 ) Anthony Tolliver
4 ) Kyle Wilson
5 ) Eric Coleman
6 ) Ajay Calvin
7 ) Matt Webster
8 ) Jamaal Tatum
9 ) Tony Young
10) Daniel Ruffin
11) Matt Shaw
12) Zach Andrews
13) Will Franklin
14) Dom Johnson
15) (tie) Anthony Slack/Ryan Martin

[smitty]

It would have to be someone on Wichita since they have been the most outstanding team. Either Kyle Wilson, or Ogirri.

I notice the preseason pick for the POY is not even in your top 15/16- Nate Funk. He has had some very good games, and I think I would still consider him.

[collegehoopjunkie]

I intentionally left Funk out, he will have to do a bit better than he has thus far to impress me, and I have intentionally tried to avoid going with him just because he was given so much preseason hype, even though he is coming off a redshirt year.
He is one dimensional and disappeared in key stretches during Creighton's game against Dayton.
Creighton's schedule thus far has included a couple real creampuffs in Mississippi Valley and Ark-Pine Bluff, and still Funk hasn't been the leading scorer in any of their wins.
Funk's overall shooting percentage is only 38% and his 3-pt pct is worse. His 34% from 3-pt range would rank him dead last (10th) among Bradley's players who have made at least one 3-pointer.
He has lost a step on defense, and has almost as many turnovers as assists.
I am not trying to sound too down on Nate, he is still a good player, but my rankings are based on performance thus far in the season, not on potential, track record, or hype.

Ogirri would have been my next on the list, but he also is off a bit from last year. Considering he takes 10 shots a game, mostly from 3 point range, his 12 points per game and 41% are worse than last year.

[tornado]

I will pick only one at this point.
I think those who vote will group Crouch with Funk as one dimensional, even though both players help their teams in other ways, and I think the guy that's get the most consideration will be Jamaal Tatum.

[meth]

Ajay Calvin is aguably doing as well as anyone, so I will throw his name in.
But playing for Drake will likely seal his fate.

[Braves4Life]

POY

Tolliver or Ogirri. Depending on who wins the conference.

[tornado]

Here is an article by the Omaha writer who covers Creighton.
It details how several of the preseason picks for the Valley's top players are having sub-par years thus far, especially Nate Funk.
He also has some nice coments about BU.

http://feed.insnews.org/v-cgi/feeds.cgi?feedid=144&story_id=2447532