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SEC
Player of the Year: Glen "Big Baby" Davis (30), LSU. Eight straight double-doubles by the SEC's Round Mound of Rebound Redux have led the Tigers to the overall regular-season title. During this streak, he's averaging 20.5 points and 13 boards, and nobody has the faintest idea how to handle him in the paint.
Coach of the Year: Bruce Pearl (31), Tennessee. The record (20-6, 11-4) speaks for itself, but how about the psychology behind the record? This was a soft program when Pearl arrived last spring -- indifferent defensively, uninterested in mixing it up inside and always willing to back down against a tough opponent at crunch time. Today, Tennessee is 180 degrees opposite. That's great work on the mental and physical toughness front.
Bust of the Year: Kentucky (32). Remember when the Wildcats were going to be saved by the return of Randolph Morris from NCAA suspension? Here's how that has worked out: They were 10-4 without Morris, and they're 9-6 with him. Bottom line on this Kentucky team: It beats bad teams and loses to good ones (last night's win at Tennessee being a notable exception). Even if the Wildcats hadn't beaten the Vols -- and regardless whether they win at Florida this weekend -- they would have made the NCAAs on name alone.
Minutes Moment of the Year: Pearl's wardrobe malfunctions. The orange blazer? Well, at least it's popular in one arena. The orange suspenders? Again, he's appealing to his audience. The sweated-through gray suit at Florida. Uh, no. And then there was the postgame locker room scene when the Volunteers beat Kentucky in Rupp Arena. Point guard C.J. Watson reported it thusly: "Coach was ripping his shirt off in excitement. He told us before the game to act like we've won here before."
Player of the Year: Glen "Big Baby" Davis (30), LSU. Eight straight double-doubles by the SEC's Round Mound of Rebound Redux have led the Tigers to the overall regular-season title. During this streak, he's averaging 20.5 points and 13 boards, and nobody has the faintest idea how to handle him in the paint.
Coach of the Year: Bruce Pearl (31), Tennessee. The record (20-6, 11-4) speaks for itself, but how about the psychology behind the record? This was a soft program when Pearl arrived last spring -- indifferent defensively, uninterested in mixing it up inside and always willing to back down against a tough opponent at crunch time. Today, Tennessee is 180 degrees opposite. That's great work on the mental and physical toughness front.
Bust of the Year: Kentucky (32). Remember when the Wildcats were going to be saved by the return of Randolph Morris from NCAA suspension? Here's how that has worked out: They were 10-4 without Morris, and they're 9-6 with him. Bottom line on this Kentucky team: It beats bad teams and loses to good ones (last night's win at Tennessee being a notable exception). Even if the Wildcats hadn't beaten the Vols -- and regardless whether they win at Florida this weekend -- they would have made the NCAAs on name alone.
Minutes Moment of the Year: Pearl's wardrobe malfunctions. The orange blazer? Well, at least it's popular in one arena. The orange suspenders? Again, he's appealing to his audience. The sweated-through gray suit at Florida. Uh, no. And then there was the postgame locker room scene when the Volunteers beat Kentucky in Rupp Arena. Point guard C.J. Watson reported it thusly: "Coach was ripping his shirt off in excitement. He told us before the game to act like we've won here before."
