NCAA Basketball: Missouri, DePaul, and Illinois highlight Sunday Mailbag
By Bryan Mauro
Who is the current favorite for Big East Player of the Year? – Busting Brackets Team
Over the next few weeks, this is going to be something that is hot topic in Big East basketball circles. It has been a hotly debated topic in the Busting Brackets chat as well. Every fan is going to debate this as well. This could be one of the most talked-about questions that the Sunday Mailbag has ever had.
The early favorites for the award have to be Adama Sanogo from Connecticut and Collin Gillespie from Villanova. I would like to bring my favorite to the mix and believe me, he has a case.
DePaul Basketball has not had much success lately and is the perennial bottom feeders of the Big East this year though they do have my favorite for the Big East player of the year. Javon Freeman-Liberty is a transfer from Valparaiso who is in his second year at DePaul and his second year in the Big East.
I believe the conference Player of the Year should go to a player who is the most important to his team and also dominates in the conference. Freeman-Liberty fits both of those. He is the most important player for the Blue Demons and he is often the best player on the floor every night.
Starting play on Sunday, January 16th, 2022 the senior point guard averages 21 points per game, which is tied with Julian Champagnie from St. John’s, 7.4 rebounds per game and 3.0 assists. He is also shooting 44% from the floor, 40% from three, and 73% from the line. He also has a 34 point game in the conference. He followed that up with a 24-point, 10-rebound double-double.
DePaul is a much-improved team and they are going to win more games. Freeman Liberty isn’t going to win the award because DePaul isnt going to have a great win and loss record but the senior guard is playing like the best player in the league currently and that should continue.