Big East Men's Basketball Player Of The Year
Introduction
The Big East Conference is one of the most competitive conferences in college basketball. Every year, the conference recognizes the best player in the league with the Big East Men's Basketball Player of the Year award. The award is voted on by the league's head coaches and goes to the player who has had the most outstanding season. In this article, we'll take a look back at some of the best performances from past winners of the award.
Patrick Ewing (Georgetown) - 1984
Patrick Ewing led Georgetown to the National Championship in 1984 and was named the Big East Men's Basketball Player of the Year. Ewing averaged 16.4 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 3.6 blocks per game that year. He also shot 63.4% from the field, which was an impressive feat for a center. Ewing's performance in the National Championship game against Houston is one of the most legendary performances in college basketball history. Ewing scored 20 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, and blocked 3 shots in the game. He was also named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.
Kemba Walker (UConn) - 2011
Kemba Walker carried UConn to the National Championship in 2011 and was named the Big East Men's Basketball Player of the Year. Walker averaged 23.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game that year. He also shot 43.9% from the field and 33.0% from three-point range. Walker's performance in the NCAA Tournament that year was unforgettable. He scored 130 points in 5 games, including a 36-point performance in the National Championship game against Butler. He was also named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.
Allan Ray (Villanova) - 2006
Allan Ray helped lead Villanova to the Elite Eight in 2006 and was named the Big East Men's Basketball Player of the Year. Ray averaged 18.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game that year. He also shot 46.2% from the field and 42.9% from three-point range. Ray's performance against UConn in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament that year was one of the best games of his career. Ray scored 28 points in the game and hit the game-winning shot with less than a second left on the clock.
Jalen Brunson (Villanova) - 2018
Jalen Brunson led Villanova to its second National Championship in three years in 2018 and was named the Big East Men's Basketball Player of the Year. Brunson averaged 18.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game that year. He also shot 52.1% from the field and 40.8% from three-point range. Brunson's performance in the NCAA Tournament that year was impressive. He scored 79 points in 6 games, including a 31-point performance in the National Championship game against Michigan. He was also named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.
Conclusion
The Big East Men's Basketball Player of the Year award is one of the most prestigious awards in college basketball. Each year, the conference recognizes the best player in the league for their outstanding performance throughout the season. We've looked back at some of the best performances from past winners of the award, and it's clear that these players left an unforgettable mark on college basketball. Who will be the next player to add their name to this illustrious list?