By Connor Wilson
With conference play officially passed the halfway point in the Big East, it's getting awfully close to awards season. We probably won’t see the craziness we saw two years ago with three co-Players of the Year in Collin Gillespie, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Sandro Mamukelashvili, but with how close some of the teams are at the top of the standings, we’re due for some neck and neck races.
So without further ado, here are my winners in the Big East as of February 2 for the following awards: Coach of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Freshman of the Year, Most Improved Player, Defensive Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, All Big East First Team and the coveted Player of the Year.
Coach of the Year: Shaka Smart, Marquette
Headed into this season, Shaka Smart was set to lose his two best players from a year ago as Justin Lewis declared for the NBA Draft and Maryland transfer Darryl Morsell was out the door as well. On top of that, no major transfers were coming in and the freshman class was looking average at best. All of this combined into Marquette being picked ninth in the preseason poll at Big East Media Day. Many people believed this to be low, but it really wasn’t when you look at it as there were a lot of question marks. The top returning scorer, Kam Jones, averaged less than 8 PPG. So how have Smart and Marquette responded to the low preseason rankings?
Marquette head coach Shaka Smart
Just by starting the season 18-5 and 10-2 in Big East play! That’s good for tied for first in the conference and the No. 14 team in the country according to the AP Poll. Guys like Jones and O-Max Prosper have broken out. Oso Ighodaro and David Joplin have taken huge leaps. Even Tyler Kolek is playing like a top Big East Player of the Year candidate! The Golden Eagles have exceeded expectations significantly so far in the 2022-23 season and as a result Shaka Smart is without a doubt the Big East Coach of the Year.
Just Missed the Cut: Ed Cooley (Providence) and Sean Miller (Xavier)
Sixth Man of the Year: David Joplin, Marquette
Bouncing off of Shaka Smart being Coach of the Year, the Sixth Man of the Year in the Big East also comes out of Milwaukee. Joplin is averaging over 10 PPG in just under 20 MPG and has been a key contributor for the surprising Golden Eagles. Last season as a freshman, Joplin averaged just 2.8 PPG with a 39/29/50 stat-line, but this year is averaging 10.4 PPG shooting 44/42/84. The 6’7” forward has had three 20+ point outbursts this season, including a 28 point performance against DePaul in which he went 8-for-11 from three point range.
Marquette forward David Joplin against Baylor
Despite not being in the starting lineup, Joplin still plays close to starter minutes for the Golden Eagles. Originally he was committed to Texas, but followed Smart up north to Marquette shortly after he got the job. Joplin is a local Wisconsin kid who fits the “Shaka Smart” mold beautifully as a tough player who gives it his all when he’s out there, and with how he’s performed off the bench this season he is certainly deserving of Big East Sixth Man of the Year.
Just Missed the Cut: Jerome Hunter* (Xavier), Donovan Clingan (UConn)
*Hunter will likely start for at least the next month with Zach Freemantle on the shelf.
Freshman of the Year: Donovan Clingan, UConn
Heading into the 2022-23 season, everybody assumed Cam Whitmore of Villanova would be the sure fire Big East Freshman of the Year, but a broken hand cost him the first seven games of the season. In his month-or-so long absence, a new frontrunner emerged in Storrs, CT. Donovan Clingan came to UConn with a clear role: Adama Sanogo’s backup. Fans of the team didn’t really know what to expect from the 7’2” 18-year-old, but Clingan exceeded everyone’s expectations. It took him just eight games to get his first career double-double off the bench when he scored 15 points and grabbed 10 boards in the Phil Knight Invitational Championship Game. Oh yeah, and he was named the tournament MVP!
UConn center Donovan Clingan attempts a free throw
Since his success in Portland, Clingan has had multiple standout games including three more double-doubles. His best game by far, and arguably one of the best games by any player in the country against LIU when in just 15 minutes he scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while shooting a perfect 10-10 from the field! With the aforementioned Whitmore injury combined with a solid, at best, freshman class across the conference, Clingan is the “slam dunk” (no pun intended) pick for Big East Freshman of the Year.
Just Missed the Cut: Cam Whitmore (Villanova), Alex Karaban (UConn)
Most Improved Player: Jordan Hawkins, UConn
Another close call between some talented players, I’m going to go with Hawkins due to how much he has blossomed over the past few weeks. Last season as a freshman, he played as the third or fourth man off the bench and averaged less than six points per game, but as a full time starter this season has exploded to 16.6 PPG. Hawkins is taking more shots and hitting more shots. He’s improved on his 35/33/82 stat-line by upping it to 42/39/85. He’s had four games of 25+ points this season as well after not eclipsing 15 points in a game last season.
UConn guard Jordan Hawkins against Butler
Big East play has unlocked another level of Hawkins’ scoring, as in conference games he is averaging 18.2 PPG. He’s also improved on the defensive end and on the glass. A smooth, consistent three ball combined with an athletic frame that can finish inside at will is every scout’s dream and they are taking notice. Many mock drafts have the 6’5” guard in the first round pushing the lottery. With how much he has risen from last year’s reserve role to becoming a star, Jordan Hawkins certainly deserves the nod for Big East Most Improved Player.
Just Missed the Cut: Joel Soriano (St. John’s), Kam Jones (Marquette)
Defensive Player of the Year: Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton
With tons of talented defenders across the Big East, the race for Defensive Player of the Year really comes down to two players: Ryan Kalkbrenner of Creighton and Andre Jackson of UConn. Both players were named to the “Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List” - the only two Big East players on the list. I'm going to give a slight edge to Kalkbrenner due to how important he is to the Bluejays, which was evident in their struggles in the games he missed in non-conference play.
Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner against San Diego St.
Kalkbrenner was the Pre-Season Defensive Player of the Year in the conference, so there’s no surprise he is here. He also won the award last season thanks to his 2.6 BPG and 7.7 RPG. Both of those numbers are down a bit this year, but he still leads the conference in blocks at 2.4 and is grabbing 7 RPG. He missed three games in mid-December due to an illness and the Bluejays went 0-3. In the 19 games the 7 footer has played in, the team is 14-5. Combine the importance he has to the team along with leading the conference in blocks, then you’ve got the formula for Ryan Kalkbrenner being the Big East Defensive Player of the Year.
Just Missed the Cut: Andre Jackson (UConn), KC Ndefo (Seton Hall)
Newcomer of the Year: Souley Boum, Xavier
Speaking of awards that are pretty much a two player race, Big East Newcomer of the Year is a prime example of one: Souley Boum of Xavier and Bryce Hopkins of Providence. In probably the second closest race (behind Player of the Year), I’m giving Boum the slight edge. The UTEP transfer guard has led the Musketeers in points, assists and is tied for the lead in steals. He’s had 10 games scoring at least 20 points and seven games with at least seven assists. Point guard play was a question coming into the season after Paul Scruggs graduated, but Boum has answered the call better than Musketeers fans could have imagined.
Xavier guard Souley Boum against Indiana
Boum has also stepped up in big games all year. In a close home win against Creighton, he scored 26 points and had eight assists. On the road against Villanova he had 22 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. In Storrs against UConn he connected on 5-of-7 three point attempts in a narrow victory. Whenever the Musketeers need a bucket, they can count on Boum. He scored the final five points and had a season high nine dimes against Hopkins and Providence. With his leadership combined with Xavier’s 10-2 start in conference play, Souley Boum is my Big East Newcomer of the Year. But does that translate to Player of the Year?
Just Missed the Cut: Bryce Hopkins (Providence), Primo Spears (Georgetown)
First Team All-Big East: Souley Boum, Xavier; Tyler Kolek, Marquette; Bryce Hopkins, Providence; Adama Sanogo, UConn; Joel Soriano, St. John’s; Colby Jones, Xavier
Before we get to Player of the Year, I’ll go over my First Team. I already touched on Boum, so we’ll leave it at that. Kolek is the engine that fuels the KenPom #1 offense at Marquette averaging 11.2 PPG and 7.9 APG. Hopkins transferred to Providence from Kentucky and is averaging over 16 PPG for a surprising Friars squad that is in the Top 25. Sanogo, who was the Preseason Player of the Year and on the First Team last season leads the conference in scoring at 17.6 PPG and has started to incorporate a three ball to his game and is hitting it at a 38% clip. Soriano is in the midst of a breakout campaign in his second season in Queens as he's averaging 16 PPG and 12.1 RPG and is tied with Zach Edey at the top of the country in double-doubles with 18. Jones is the Musketeers’ second representative who has more than earned a spot averaging 14.8 PPG, 4.7 RPG and 4.9 APG from the wing. while playing stellar perimeter defense.
Just Missed the Cut: Jordan Hawkins (UConn), Caleb Daniels (Villanova), Ryan Kalkbrenner (Creighton), Baylor Scheierman (Creighton)
Player of the Year: Tyler Kolek, Marquette
The wait is finally over… my Big East Player of the Year up to this point is Tyler Kolek of Marquette. The junior guard is third in the country in APG at 7.9 and second in the country in assist/turnover ratio at 3.35. He may be known for his playmaking, but Kolek surprisingly has four 20+ point games including his last game against DePaul where he was very close to his first career triple-double with 24 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists. He had a career high 15 assists in just 27 minutes against Georgetown and has five 10+ assist games this season.
Marquette guard Tyler Kolek strikes a pose
So why does Kolek get the nod over the other top candidates? A big part of it is team success. I already touched upon how underrated Marquette was before the season, being picked ninth in the preseason poll and tied for first as we enter February. It’s also individual success, as being third in the nation in assists doesn’t go unnoticed. Kolek may not be your “textbook” conference player of the year with his 11.2 PPG, but the value he brings to his team is unmatched.
Just Missed the Cut: Souley Boum (Xavier), Bryce Hopkins (Providence)