Busting Brackets
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NCAA Basketball: Bellarmine, Big Ten, and hot seat in roundtable questions

By Tristan Freeman

AUSTIN, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 24: (L to R) Sean McNeil #22, Miles McBride #4, Chase Harler #14 and Derek Culver #1 of the West Virginia Mountaineers walks on the court after a timeout during the game with the Texas Longhorns at The Frank Erwin Center on February 24, 2020 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 24: (L to R) Sean McNeil #22, Miles McBride #4, Chase Harler #14 and Derek Culver #1 of the West Virginia Mountaineers walks on the court after a timeout during the game with the Texas Longhorns at The Frank Erwin Center on February 24, 2020 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images) /
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NCAA Basketball Austin Reaves Oklahoma Sooners (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
NCAA Basketball Austin Reaves Oklahoma Sooners (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

4. Who should win the non-Baylor Big 12 Player of the Year Award?

Stevenson

The non-Baylor Big 12 player of the year should go to Austin Reaves, He’s the best player on the No. 9 team in the country. He’s 5th in points per game and 2nd in assist per game.

Tineo

Apart from the obvious choice of Jared Butler, Miles McBride has played at an All-American type level in conference play. He has carried production, en route to resume-building wins, and has yet to face Baylor.

McBride has scored in double figures in 10 of 11 Big 12 games, including four 20+ point performances. It includes a 29 points performance to take care of Kansas and 24 points, including a game-winner to beat Texas Tech, back in late January.

One of the least talked about coaching jobs has been Bob Huggins and how he has adjusted, after the departure of Oscar Tshiebwe. McBride has been the leader of the Mountaineers and is a viable candidate to win the award if Butler or Davion Mitchell didn’t play in the conference.

Zacher

As great as Oklahoma’s Austin Reaves and Texas Tech’s Mac McClung have been, my vote would go to one of two players on West Virginia’s roster.  The two-man tandem of Miles McBride outside and Derek Culver inside has been deadly, and their stellar play – particularly ever since the departure of Oscar Tshiebwe – has been crucial for a Mountaineers team that is sitting in a tie for fourth right now in the loaded Big 12.

McBride has been incredible in his breakout year, and his offensive rating, assist rate, and 3P% are all the best on the team – and his heroics have led the Mountaineers to some marquee victories this year.  But my vote, ultimately, has to go to Culver, who has been sensational since Tshiebwe left.

The big man has recorded double-digits in 16 of West Virginia’s 20 games – and has also hauled down double-digit rebounds in 11 of them.  He is involved in more percentage of possessions and takes more percentage of shots than any other West Virginia player, he ranks 101st in the country in offensive rebounding percentage and ranks tenth in defensive rebounding percentage.

Some of his stats this season have been insane, too.  He is coming off a 29-point, 14-rebound game against Oklahoma where he was 13-23 from the floor.  In WVU’s loss to Florida, he was 14-17 from the free-throw line.  In a three-point win over Oklahoma State where the Mountaineers surged from a 19-point deficit with 11 minutes left, Culver scored 22 points while bringing down 19 rebounds – including seven offensive boards.

Tshiebwe’s departure has allowed Culver so much more freedom inside, and he has been so good at exploiting that in Big 12 competition – and it’s no coincidence that the Mountaineers now own two wins over Texas Tech and a 12-point rout over Kansas.  Culver has been, arguably, the biggest part of that – and if not for Baylor’s Jared Butler, he should be top billing for Player of the Year.

Zinkula

Only one Big 12 player is averaging at least 15 points, 4 rebounds and an assist-turnover ratio better than 2:1 — West Virginia’s Miles McBride. The sophomore is also one of only two players in the nation to 1) shoot >= 44% from three on at least 80 3PAs AND 2) >= 80% from the foul line on at least 80 FTAs. McBride has done all this while hitting several clutch shots, helping the Mountaineers win five of their last seven games.

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