With roughly two-thirds of conference play behind us, the Big East season is nearing its conclusion. Though it may be the last thing on the minds of players and coaches, many fans are keeping an eye out to see who will be in position to take home the Big East conference individual awards, notably Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year. These five individuals have distinguished themselves as frontrunners in the race for Big East Freshman of the Year:
Mac McClung (Georgetown, Guard)
The Good: 14.1 PPG in Big East play (Leads Freshmen)
The Bad: Shooting 27.9 % on 3-pointers
Verdict: Mac McClung, a 3-star recruit out of Gate City, Virginia has surpassed even the most optimistic of expectations in his freshman season. He has proved himself capable of both finishing through contact at the rim and knocking down big shots from the perimeter. Performances such as McClung’s 25-point outing at St. John’s show the strength of Mac as an offensive weapon. After struggling early in the season and sustaining an ankle-injury that kept him out for early January, McClung found his rhythm in Big East play, though he certainly still has had a few dud games such as Wednesday’s visit to Seton Hall. Although still developing as a decision maker and defender, McClung’s consistent energy spills into every part of the game, making him a fun player to watch. His motor and offensive prowess have shown that he can play with the best, but it remains to be seen if McClung will take home Freshman of the Year honors.
James Akinjo (Georgetown, Guard)
The Good: 5.1 APG (Leads Big East)
The Bad: Shooting 27.3% from field in conference play, 3.2 turnovers/game
Verdict: Despite being just a freshman, Akinjo is the motor and floor general of the up-tempo Georgetown team. His handles and flashy passes are impressive and have translated into a league best 5.1 assists per game. Additionally, Akinjo has improved as a defender and now stands as a formidable on-ball defender capable of guarding some of the best in the conference. However, mistakes as a result of inexperience have plagued Akinjo much of the year and have resulted in problems with turnovers as well as an inability to finish around bigger defenders at times. Two weeks ago, it may have appeared that Akinjo had Freshman of the Year on lock, but the Oakland native has fallen into a slump that has featured just 2 made field goals on 23 attempts since the Villanova game. Despite all the positives, Akinjo’s streaky shooting and sometimes brutal inefficiency may hurt his case, but James still finds himself squarely in the running.
Marcus Zegarowski (Creighton, Guard)
The Good: 10.9 PPG, Shoots 49.1% from field and 46.2% from beyond the arc
The Bad: Doesn’t jump off the page like other players on list
Verdict: Zegarowski is certainly a very capable all-around player, averaging 10.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. Additionally, as his shooting numbers indicate, Zegarowski is very reliable and knocks down shots at a high clip. On the contrary, he has only started 6 games this season, those being the last 6 contests. Zegarowski has made the most of this opportunity, scoring in double digits in 5 of his starts. Despite this progress, Marcus Zegarowski is not yet a focal point of the Creighton team, though he surely will be in the future. It would take a strong finish to the season to put the 6’2” guard near the top of the conversation for Freshman of the Year.
Josh LeBlanc (Georgetown, Forward)
The Good: 65.2% from the field, 7.4 RBG
The Bad: Not a primary option on offense (averages 5.5 field goal attempts per game)
Verdict: LeBlanc has been a very pleasant surprise for Georgetown fans this year, posting fantastically efficient numbers. His field goal percentage ranks near the top of the conference, and LeBlanc clocks in at 4th in the league in rebounds despite playing opposite 6’10” center Jessie Govan. What hurts LeBlanc’s case for Freshman of the Year is his limited usage this season despite playing extensive minutes; he posts a usage percentage of 15.7%, while his teammates and fellow freshmen Akinjo and McClung posts rates hovering around the 25% mark. Josh LeBlanc is a great asset for any team, but it is a bit of a long shot for him to garner attention for individual accolades due to his role.
Joey Hauser (Marquette, Forward)
The Good: 44.9% from three, 82.9% on free throws
The Bad: Defensive liability (only 2 blocks on season), niche role in offense
Verdict: Hauser leads all freshmen in Big East Freshman of the Week nominations, taking home that award four times already this year. The 6’9” forward has established himself as an added threat to the Marquette offense, capable of knocking down shots despite his size. However, given that Markus Howard commands much of the focus of the Marquette offense, and opposing defenses, Hauser has been somewhat limited to a role as a complimentary piece. Additionally, Hauser’s lack of a presence on defense and somewhat disappointing rebounding ability despite his size may limit the Wisconsin native’s chances of taking home the award.
Outlook
At this point in the year, Mac McClung seems to have earned his spot as the leader of this talented group of freshmen. Still, no one player his differentiated himself as head and shoulders above the competition; each has shown flashes of brilliance while also struggling at times. James Akinjo appears most likely to overtake his teammate in the race, especially given the amount of opportunity that Coach Ewing has given his young point guard. To do so, Akinjo will need to end the slump he has fallen into by shooting the ball better and decreasing the amount of mental errors that lead to turnovers. In terms of the other three contenders, Zegarowski, LeBlanc and Hauser, limited roles in their respective offenses will continue to make it difficult to put up the numbers necessary to take home Freshman of the Year. However, each shows immense promise and ability, and thus could play their way into the heat of the conversation with a few impressive games in February and March.
