MAC Awards Completed

The MAC has given out the final awards for men's basketball....

Player of the Year:  Javon McCrea

McCrea got 20 out of 25 votes and deservedly so.  He is the clear choice for this award and deserves congratulations.  David Brown was second, and Juice Brown and Shayne Whittington both a vote as well.

Coach of the Year;  Steve Hawkins

Another clear choice.  This guy is just a very good coach who has done a very solid job over the long-term with the WMU program.  Remember that it was just one year ago that the MAC Freshman of the Year, Darius Paul, transferred away from WMU to Illinois.  For Hawkins to have his team back on top despite that is coaching.

Mark Montgomery was 2nd.  He's doing a nice job with the program there.  Kowalcyzk and Hurley got votes as well.  Montgomery is probably a tad overrated, but Hawkins was the clear winner in any event.

Defensive Player of the Year:  Da'Shonte Riley

It is hard to argue with this choice.  The problem with evaluating defense is that there are not really very many stats and sometimes the best defensive players just get stops.  Riley did lead the conference in blocks and we all know by now that the middle of that 2-3 zone is vital and Riley played there and EMU led the nation in FG defense.  The MAC doesn't say who finished second, but both Richaun Holmes and Cam Black had excellent seasons on a very good Falcon defense.

Sixth Man of the Year:  Jake Kretzer

I never know about this award.  Honestly, I don't know why it is even an award.  Coaches think of their entire rotation, not really a starting 5.  Anyway, Kretzer is a good player who was injured down the stretch.  Akron tends to win this award.  Why?  Because they spread minutes out so evenly that their sixth man gets numbers.

Freshman of the Year:  Zavier Turner, Ball State

The FR PG scored 12 PPG and was 6th in the MAC in assists, and ranked in a number of different categories.  Shannon Evans of Buffalo was 2nd.