Top player? There’s plenty to pick from
performance. BIG 12
This race appears settled — see Kansas’ Frank Mason III.
The 5-11 senior made his mark early by hitting the last-second shot to beat preseason No. 1 Duke in November. He’s gone on to average 20.3 points and 4.9 assists to guide the Jayhawks to No. 1 in this week’s Top 25.
Kansas coach Bill Self praised Mason’s toughness after Monday’s Senior Night win against Oklahoma, showering him with some high praise as the “best guard I’ve ever coached.”
Baylor’s Johnathan Motley (17.5 points, 9.7 rebounds) would appear to be a long-shot candidate after guiding the Bears to program’s first No. 1 ranking earlier this year. BIG EAST
Villanova’s Josh Hart is a top contender for national player of the year while leading the race for the top honor in the Big East.
The 6-5 senior and Associated Press preseason all-American is averaging 18.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists while shooting nearly 51 percent from the field.
He had 37 points and 11 rebounds against Notre Dame in December as well as a triple-double against St. Joseph’s, and has the reigning NCAA champions on course for a No. 1 seed in this year’s tournament. BIG TEN
Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan has made himself the clear front-runner for player of the year in the Big Ten.
The 6-9 sophomore is averaging 18.6 points and 12.5 rebounds (sec- ond nationally) while tallying 24 double-doubles (tied for the most in Division I through Tuesday’s games). That includes four 20-point, 20-rebound performances to help the No. 16 Boilermakers claim at least a share of the league regular-season crown.
Iowa senior guard Peter Jok (Big Ten-best 20.6 points), Maryland junior Melo Trimble (16.9 points) and Wisconsin sophomore forward Ethan Happ (14.1 points, 9 rebounds) are the leading contenders behind Swanigan. PAC-12
Like the ACC, there’s a close race in the Pac-12 for player of the year.
Freshman point guard Lonzo Ball — the nation’s assist leader with a 7.6 average — leads No. 3 UCLA’s high-scoring offense.
Oregon junior forward Dillon Brooks, a Findlay Prep product, was an AP preseason All-American and is averaging 15.6 points for the No. 6 Ducks.
And 7-foot freshman Lauri Markkanen (15.4 points, 7.4 rebounds) has helped No. 7 Arizona stay near the top of the league standings. SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE
The SEC has a couple of worthy candidates, led by high-scoring freshman Malik Monk of league-leading Kentucky.
Monk is averaging 21.7 points, second to Washington’s Markelle Fultz among freshmen and 12th overall in Division I.
South Carolina senior guard Sindarius Thornwell has also put himself in contention. He’s second to Monk in scoring, averaging 21 points, and he pulls down 7.3 rebounds. His play has put the Gamecocks within reach of their first NCAA Tournament bid since 2004.