All-American

 

Xavier star Tu Holloway headlines CollegeHoops.net's Preseason Mid-Major All-America teams. He's joined by fellow seniors Andrew Nicholson of St Bonaventure and Drew Gordon of New Mexico. With the likes of Xavier, Temple, New Mexico, Gonzaga, and Memphis all capable of making runs in March, this could be a banner year for the Non-BCS conference schools.

 

A trio of sophomores (a rarity in our one-and-done world) headline CollegeHoops.net's Preseason All-America teams. Jared Sullinger (Ohio St), Terrence Jones (Kentucky), and Harrison Barnes (UNC) are leaders on the nation's three best teams. Freshmen Davis (Kentucky), Rivers (Duke), and Beal (Florida) hope to follow in their footsteps.

 

CollegeHoops.net First Team All-America

Being the best player on a Top 15 team is a recipe for earning CollegeHoops.net's Mid-Major Player of the Year honors. Gordon Hayward averaged 15.4 ppg, 8.5 rpg, and 1.8 apg in leading Butler to a 28-4 record. He's joined on the Mid-Major First Team by CAA Player of the Year Charles Jenkins, Cornell leader Ryan Wittman, and big men Keith Benson of Oakland and Art Parakouski of Radford.

 

Player of the Year Evan Turner and super-freshman John Wall highlight CollegeHoops.net's 2010 All-America teams. Turner averaged 19.5 ppg, 9.4 rpg, and 5.8 apg while helping Ohio St finish tied atop the Big Ten standings. Wall averaged 16.8 ppg and 6.2 apg, helping lead Kentucky to an impressive 29-2 record and an SEC title. They are joined on the First Team by Wall's teammate DeMarcus Cousins, Villanova leader Scottie Reynolds, and Big 12 Player of the Year James Anderson.

Last year, the debate for the 2008-09 Naismith National Player of the Year was effectively ended sometime in mid-January 9 (or maybe even sooner), when it became clear that Oklahoma's Blake Griffin was far and away the best player in the country. He was a double-double machine who became a nightly fixture on “Sportscenter's Top 10” for his rim-rattling dunks, and he led the Sooners to a 30-6 record and the Elite Eight. Although they would fall short of a championship, there was no question that he was the most dominant player in the nation.