Mar 5, 2015; Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Stanley Johnson (5), center Kaleb Tarczewski (35), forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (23) and guard T.J. McConnell (4) cheer from the bench during the second half against the California Golden Bears at McKale Center. Arizona won 99-60. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports
The Pac-12’s Commissioner Larry Scott announced the coaches Pac-12 honors today for the 2014-2015 season, and no T.J. did not win “Player of the Year” but he and others were honored, here’s how.
THE VOTE (per www.pac-12.com): Coach of the Year, All-Conference, All-Freshman, All-Defensive teams and Most Improved Player are voted on by the coaches. Coaches are not permitted to vote for themselves or their own players for the honors.
Pac-12 Player of the Year honors did not go to our beloved T.J. McConnell who is worth a lot to our school, our fans, and our team and coaches, it went to OREGON senior guard Joseph Young. Bummed out at that news, Bill Walton picked T.J. even!
Young averaged 36.4 minutes per game, made 44% of his field goals, 35% of his three-pointers, 92% of his free throws, made 141 rebounds, 116 Assists, 135 steals and scored 614 total points averaging 19.8 points per game. This was compared by all the Pac-12 coaches to McConnell’s record: averaged 29.6 minutes per game, made 49.4% of his field goals, 32% of his three-pointers (less), 76% of his free throws, made 117 rebounds, 195 Assists, 65 steals and scored 298 total points averaging 9.6 points per game.
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What’s not taken into consideration in the stats is that T.J. makes things happen, Arizona is not a one man team. When the score starts to slip, T.J. comes back in and he makes the difference, over and over again.
Another facet of T.J.’s game is how he navigates each team, the reason he has been named the “Floor General” or “Floor Captain.” He organizes the team on the court, calms down players, and helps them keep their head in the game. Granted I didn’t watch a whole lot of Oregon basketball this season, but there is something intangible about T.J. that makes him our Player of the Year. I mean he literally kissed the “Lute and Bobbi Olsen Court” goodbye on Arizona’s big “A” Logo..who does that?
Next: Who is the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year?