Does Ben Simmons edge out Tyler Ulis for SEC Player of the Year?

Ben Simmons and Tyler Ulis are the two SEC Player of the Year front-runners, so who takes the title?

Before the NCAA season even began, you had the feeling that the SEC crown was going to come down to one of three teams taking it, and now as the season winds down, two of those teams have players who deserve serious consideration for Player of the Year.

LSU’s Ben Simmons and Kentucky’s Tyler Ulis have done more to help their teams and have been standout players in the conference all season.

The Kentucky Wildcats, LSU Tigers and Texas A&M Aggies were are all boasting top recruiting classes and established returning contributors. So it simply made sense to throw them all in the same boat as potential favorites to win the Southeastern Conference Championship.

With SEC Conference play coming down to the schedules final handful of games both Kentucky and LSU are both tied atop the league with 9-3 records. LSU, if you have not heard, is led by freshman phenom Ben Simmons who is having an outstanding season and has firmly established himself as the No.1 overall pick for the 2016 NBA Draft.

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Kentucky has been fueled by the leadership of sophomore point guard Tyler Ulis, who has been a monster in SEC Conference play and has guided the Wildcats through their growing pains as the season progressed.

In the end, who should truly be SEC Player of the Year when the smoke clears – Simmons or Ulis?

In the beginning, it appeared that the LSU Tigers were going to squander the monster season Simmons was turning in with averages of 19.3 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 5.2 assists. But since then, the Tigers have improved their standing and are projected to be an at-large NCAA Tournament team.

Through 12 games in conference play, Ben Simmons has been consistent with averages of 19.7 points, 11.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists on 56.7 percent shooting from the floor. More importantly, the team has improved as the season has moved on.

Simmons gaudy numbers under normal circumstances would make him a runaway Player of the Year candidate.

LSU freshman star Ben Simmons is an anomaly worth watching. Scott Gleeson, USA TODAY . /

But what Tyler Ulis has done on the leadership front for John Calipari’s Kentucky Wildcats, and with the stats he has put together to go along with that leadership, Simmons coronation as the SEC’s top player is not a forgone conclusion.

Ulis has been equally as important to Kentucky’s cause as Simmons has been in the Bayou. The 5-foot-9 point guard is averaging 16.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 6.7 assists for the season.

He has elevated his game during SEC play however to the tune of 19.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 6.7 assists during conference play and is shooting 48.3 percent from the field.

Some people would make the argument that freshman guard Jamal Murray has been the Wildcats’ best player this season with his averages of 18.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. But those numbers are a byproduct of Ulis setting the table for his squad.

It is also a good look that Ulis has scored 20 or more points in 8 of 12 SEC games played this season.

There is a strong case for both players since their contributions to their respective teams is invaluable. In reality, it is hard to say who has a leg up, and honestly it is probably going to come down to who’s team eventually ends up taking the SEC Championship.

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The stretch run into the SEC Tournament is going to be very interesting and integral into determining who takes home the title of SEC Player of the Year.

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