Garza losing POY ?

Garza had the benefit of being the odds on favorite of being POY all off season and he started the season off basically as the guy to beat. That's tough to overcome that kind of momentum that Luka had built up and he's done absolutely nothing to lose it. He's better in almost every category this season other than rebounding and he's not far off. I think Ayo could put him in the same position as Luka did if he came back for his Sr year. Luka just started the season with one hell of a head start and lead. He's also facing double and triple teams every night. Is that what Ayo is seeing? Double and triple teams? I don' think so. It's still Luka's award and he's still pretty far out front.
Garza is also putting up stats in the conference that haven't been seen in decades.
 
Garza is also putting up stats in the conference that haven't been seen in decades.


As I responded to @BryceC do you think every voter does their homework? Is the Big Ten player of the year, also the National player of the year(Wooden winner)?
 
Ayo was an absolute non-factor after the hard foul near the end of the game. In retrospect, the Illini might have had a better chance for success had the coach substituted for Ayo immediately after the hard foul. He looked like he was in a daze to me.
The foul was a bush league play by the Spartan; he deserved more than being kicked out of the game. Typical rough neck play coached by Izzo. Deliberate fouls such as that should get the same treatment as a targeting penalty iin football - suspend for an entire game, rest of current game plus 1st half of the next game. The player got off easy in my opinion.
Oh I agree about the foul he took. It wasn't even close to a play on the ball. Hit him square in the face pretty darn hard. There were folks trying to say it shouldn't have been an F2 which blows my mind. If that's not an F2 then anything goes and we are back to the Jordan rules of hoops. There's no place for that. Suspending him for a game might be a tad harsh but I don't think I'd have been against it though. Kicking him out of the game is the least that shoulda happened to him.
 
Oh I agree about the foul he took. It wasn't even close to a play on the ball. Hit him square in the face pretty darn hard. There were folks trying to say it shouldn't have been an F2 which blows my mind. If that's not an F2 then anything goes and we are back to the Jordan rules of hoops. There's no place for that. Suspending him for a game might be a tad harsh but I don't think I'd have been against it though. Kicking him out of the game is the least that shoulda happened to him.
Is it possible the Illini were talking trash the entire game? Oh surely not them. When they fall behind in a game especially, you can see it. It's their culture. I'm sure the refs see that and say, ok boys, it's time for old school. Take your lumps.
 
It's Garza's to win or lose at this point. I'm afraid he's going to lose it to Dosunmu of Illinois. After this week, he very well could be behind him if not already.

pts rb apg 3pt ft
Dosunmu 20.3 5.5 6 40% 81.8%
Garza 22.1 8.1 2.1 34% 70.8%

I guess a lot depends on how far they advance in B1G Tourney, and the dance, but Luka needs to stay focused on FTs. Hate to see him lose it on that.

I'm seeing Garza's stat line as a better than you showed:

24.7 8.5 1.8 44.4% 70.1%

 
Is it possible the Illini were talking trash the entire game? Oh surely not them. When they fall behind in a game especially, you can see it. It's their culture. I'm sure the refs see that and say, ok boys, it's time for old school. Take your lumps.
Yeah the guards for IL are punks I think they talk plenty. The refs have been pretty bad this yr. I'm not sure what their random ways of calling games are but if IL is losing in a game like that it feels like there's a 50/50 chance a fight might start.
 
Yet some voters will overlook all that simply because he isn't very good defensively.

I get that, but we're in an efficiency era. You can give up the points as long as you're producing more than you give up. His Box Plus/Minus is still the best even accounting for the defense.

It's not a contest.

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Garza is still WAY out front. He's had the sure fire POY narrative for over 12 calendar months in the national media. He's also been showcased on national TV more times than I can ever remember an Iowa team playing. He had an entire off season & this season of playing well for momentum for this award. I have NO doubt that AYO would be in the exact same position as Garza NEXT season if he were to come back and it would take a huge season by someone else to supplant him.
 
if the season ended today it’s Garza. Ayo is right there on his ass and totally deserving of consideration in my opinion. There are still games to be played and how Garza plays in these next two games specifically could decide it.
 
I get that, but we're in an efficiency era. You can give up the points as long as you're producing more than you give up. His Box Plus/Minus is still the best even accounting for the defense.

It's not a contest.

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I agree. However when you listen to interviews with National writers about the POY award they bring up defense with Garza.
 
I agree. However when you listen to interviews with National writers about the POY award they bring up defense with Garza.
Blah... He rebounds and also blocks almost 2 shots a game. I mean he's the single most dominant player in college basketball. Impact wise stat wise every metric one wants to come up with wise. If one wants to nit pick and say he's not Dikembe Mutombo on the defensive end then so be it but for those players that do hang their hat on D they aren't nearly as impactful overall as he is.
 
He has very little chance at either award so it really doesn't matter. Ayo has built a POY resume buzzer beating teams like Nebraska tho. Not being able to pull IL out of a terrible loss that they are double digit favorites in like he has all season is going to hurt.
 

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