2018-19 NCAA Honors & Awards

1st Team All-American
Cassius Winston, Michigan State [jr]
Ja Morant, Murray State [soph]
Jarrett Culver, Texas Tech [soph]
Zion Williamson, Duke [fr]
Grant Williams, Tennessee [jr]

2nd Team All-American
Markus Howard, Marquette [jr]
Carsen Edwards, Purdue [jr]
Brandon Clarke, Gonzaga [jr]
Dedric Lawson, Kansas [jr]
Ethan Happ, Wisconsin [sr]

All-Defensive Team
Matisse Thybulle, Washington [sr]
De'Andre Hunter, Virginia [soph]
Zion Williamson, Duke [fr]
Brandon Clarke, Gonzaga [jr]
Tariq Owens, Texas Tech [sr]

All-Freshman Team
Coby White, North Carolina
Tyler Herro, Kentucky
RJ Barrett, Duke
Zion Williamson, Duke
Ignas Brazdeikis, Michigan

Player of the Year: Zion Williamson, Duke
Top Defender: Matisse Thybulle, Washington
Best Freshman: Zion Williamson, Duke
Coach of the Year: Chris Beard, Texas Tech

2018-19 Conference Honors & Awards

All-AAC
Laquincy Rideau, South Florida [jr]
Corey Davis, Houston [sr]
Jeremiah Martin, Memphis [sr]
Shizz Alston, Temple [sr]
Jarron Cumberland, Cincinnati [jr]

Player of the Year: Corey Davis, Houston
Top Defender: Tacko Fall, Central Florida
Best Freshman: Jayden Gardner, East Carolina
Coach of the Year: Kelvin Sampson, Houston

All-ACC
Ty Jerome, Virginia [jr]
RJ Barrett, Duke [fr]
De'Andre Hunter, Virginia [soph]
Cam Johnson, North Carolina [sr]
Zion Williamson, Duke [fr]

Player of the Year: Zion Williamson, Duke
Top Defender: Zion Williamson, Duke
Best Freshman: Zion Williamson, Duke
Coach of the Year: Buzz Williams, Virginia Tech

All-Big East
Markus Howard, Marquette [jr]
Shamorie Ponds, St. John's [jr]
Myles Powell, Seton Hall [jr]
Phil Booth, Villanova [sr]
Eric Paschall, Villanova [sr]

Player of the Year: Markus Howard, Marquette
Top Defender: Justin Simon, St. John's
Best Freshman: James Akinjo, Georgetown
Coach of the Year: Jay Wright, Villanova

All-Big Ten
Cassius Winston, Michigan State [jr]
Carsen Edwards, Purdue [jr]
Ignas Brazdeikis, Michigan [fr]
Ethan Happ, Wisconsin [sr]
Bruno Fernando, Maryland [soph]

Player of the Year: Cassius Winston, Michigan State
Top Defender: Josh Reaves, Penn State
Best Freshman: Ignas Brazdeikis, Michigan
Coach of the Year: John Beilein, Michigan

All-Big 12
Mikai Mason, Baylor [sr]
Barry Brown, Kansas State [sr]
Jarrett Culver, Texas Tech [soph]
Marial Shayok, Iowa State [sr]
Dedric Lawson, Kansas [jr]

Player of the Year: Jarrett Culver, Texas Tech
Top Defender: Tariq Owens, Texas Tech
Best Freshman: Jaxson Hayes, Texas
Coach of the Year: Chris Beard, Texas Tech

All-Pac-12
Payton Pritchard, Oregon [jr]
Jaylen Nowell, Washington [soph]
Matisse Thybulle, Washington [sr]
Tres Tinkle, Oregon State [jr]
Robert Franks, Washington State [sr]

Player of the Year: Matisse Thybulle, Washington
Top Defender: Matisse Thybulle, Washington
Best Freshman: Luguentz Dort, Arizona State
Coach of the Year: Mike Hopkins, Washington

All-SEC
Tremont Waters, LSU [soph]
Quinndary Weatherspoon, Mississippi State [sr]
Grant Williams, Tennessee [jr]
PJ Washington, Kentucky [soph]
Daniel Gafford, Arkansas [soph]

Player of the Year: Grant Williams, Tennessee
Top Defender: Chuma Okeke, Auburn
Best Freshman: Tyler Herro, Kentucky
Coach of the Year: Rick Barnes, Tennessee

Virginia Wins National Championship...

while running Tony Bennett's amazingly efficient system that also supposedly dashes all hopes of tournament success for the Cavaliers.  (I guess we can go ahead and lay that theory to rest.)

2018-19 Preseason All-Americans & Award Projections

First Team
Carsen Edwards, Purdue [jr]
Tyus Battle, Syracuse [jr]
Caleb Martin, Nevada [jr]
Ethan Happ, Wisconsin [sr]
Mike Daum, South Dakota State [sr]

Second Team
Kyle Guy, Virginia [jr]
Cody Martin, Nevada [sr]
Dedric Lawson, Kansas [sr]
Luke Maye, North Carolina [sr]
Udoka Azubuike, Kansas [jr]

All-Defense
Tremont Waters, LSU [soph]
Matisse Thybulle, Washington [sr]
De'Andre Hunter, Virginia [soph]
Ethan Happ, Wisconsin [sr]
Sagaba Konate, West Virginia [jr]

All-Freshman
RJ Barrett, Duke
Keldon Johnson, Kentucky
Nassir Little, North Carolina
Zion Williamson, Duke
Simisola Shittu, Vanderbilt

Player of the Year: Carsen Edwards, Purdue

Top Defender: De'Andre Hunter, Virginia

Best Freshman: RJ Barrett, Duke

2018-19 RBP Preseason Rankings

1) Duke
2) Kentucky
3) Virginia
4) North Carolina
5) Kansas
6) Tennessee
7) Michigan
8) Nevada
9) Purdue
10) Gonzaga
11) Michigan State
12) Auburn
13) Syracuse
14) Oregon
15) Arizona
16) Kansas State
17) Villanova
18) West Virginia
19) Virginia Tech
20) UCLA
21) Florida State
22) Wisconsin
23) Texas
24) Florida
25) Mississippi State

2017-18 NCAA Honors & Awards

1st Team All-American

Jalen Brunson, Villanova [jr]

Trae Young, Oklahoma [fr]

Devonte' Graham, Kansas [sr]

Marvin Bagley, Duke [fr]

DeAndre Ayton, Arizona [fr]

2nd Team All-American

Jevon Carter, West Virginia [sr]
Carsen Edwards, Purdue [soph]

Keenan Evans, Texas Tech [sr]
Mikal Bridges, Villanova [jr]

Keita Bates-Diop, Ohio State [jr]

All-Defensive Team

Jevon Carter, West Virginia [sr]

Khyri Thomas, Creighton [jr]
Jemerrio Jones, New Mexico State [sr]

Isaiah Wilkins, Virginia [sr]

Mohamed Bamba, Texas [fr]

All-Freshman Team

Collin Sexton, Alabama
Trae Young, Oklahoma

Marvin Bagley, Duke

Mohamed Bamba, Texas
DeAndre Ayton, Arizona

Player of the Year: Jalen Brunson, Villanova

Top Defender: Mohamed Bamba, Texas

Best Freshman: Marvin Bagley, Duke

Coach of the Year: Jay Wright, Villanova

2017-18 Conference Honors & Awards

All-AAC

Landry Shamet, Wichita State [soph]
Jeremiah Martin, Memphis [jr]
Robert Gray, Houston [sr]

Jacob Evans, Cincinnati [jr]

Gary Clark, Cincinnati [sr]

Player of the Year: Robert Gray, Houston

Top Defender: Gary Clark, Cincinnati

Best Freshman: Shawn Williams, East Carolina

Coach of the Year: Mick Cronin, Cincinnati

All-ACC

Joel Berry, North Carolina [sr]

Kyle Guy, Virginia [soph]
Jerome Robinson, Boston College [jr]

Luke Maye, North Carolina [jr]

Marvin Bagley, Duke [fr]

Player of the Year: Marvin Bagley, Duke

Top Defender: Isaiah Wilkins, Virginia

Best Freshman: Marvin Bagley, Duke

Coach of the Year: Tony Bennett, Virginia

All-Big East

Jalen Brunson, Villanova [jr]

Khryi Thomas, Creighton [jr]
Trevon Blueitt, Xavier [sr]
Mikal Bridges, Villanova [jr]
Kelan Martin, Butler [sr]

Player of the Year: Jalen Brunson, Villanova

Top Defender: Khyri Thomas, Creighton

Best Freshman: Omari Spellman, Villanova

Coach of the Year: Jay Wright, Villanova

All-Big Ten

Carsen Edwards, Purdue [soph]
Tony Carr, Penn State [jr]

Keita Bates-Diop, Ohio State [jr]

Ethan Happ, Wisconsin [jr]

Moritz Wagner, Michigan [jr]

Player of the Year: Keita Bates-Diop, Ohio State

Top Defender: Jaren Jackson, Michigan State

Best Freshman: Jaren Jackson, Michigan State

Coach of the Year: Chris Holtmann, Ohio State

All-Big 12

Trae Young, Oklahoma [fr]

Jevon Carter, West Virginia [sr]
Devonte' Graham, Kansas [sr]
Keenan Evans, Texas Tech [sr]

Mohamed Bamba, Texas [fr]

Player of the Year: Devonte' Graham, Kansas

Top Defender: Mohamed Bamba, Texas

Best Freshman: Trae Young, Oklahoma

Coach of the Year: Chris Beard, Texas Tech

All-Pac-12

Jordan McLaughlin, USC [sr]
Aaron Holiday, UCLA [jr]
Allonzo Trier, Arizona [jr]

Reid Travis, Stanford [jr]
DeAndre Ayton, Arizona [fr]

Player of the Year: DeAndre Ayton, Arizona

Top Defender: Matisse Thybulle, Washington

Best Freshman: DeAndre Ayton, Arizona

Coach of the Year: Larry Krystkowiak, Utah

All-SEC

Collin Sexton, Alabama [fr]

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kentucky [fr]

Kevin Knox, Kentucky [fr]

Grant Williams, Tennessee [soph]
Yante Maten, Georgia [sr]

Player of the Year: Collin Sexton, Alabama

Top Defender: Robert Williams, Texas A&M

Best Freshman: Collin Sexton, Alabama

Coach of the Year: Bruce Pearl, Auburn

Villanova Wins Second Title in Three Years

...and this time the Wildcats made it look easy, beating each of their tourney opponents by at least 12 points.

2017-18 Preseason All-Americans & Award Projections

First Team
Joel Berry, North Carolina [sr]
Miles Bridges, Michigan State [soph]
Bonzie Colson, Notre Dame [sr]
Ethan Happ, Wisconsin [jr]
Jock Landale, Saint Mary's [sr]

Second Team
Jalen Brunson, Villanova [jr]
Jevon Carter, West Virginia [sr]
Trevon Blueitt, Xavier [sr]
Alonzo Trier, Arizona [jr]
Moritz Wagner, Michigan [jr]

All-Defense
Jevon Carter, West Virginia [sr]
Mikal Bridges, Villanova [jr]
Ethan Happ, Wisconsin [jr]
Ben Lammers, Georgia Tech [sr]
Reggie Lynch, Minnesota [sr]

All-Freshman
Kevin Knox, Kentucky
Michael Porter, Missouri
Marvin Bagley, Duke
Mohamed Bamba, Texas
DeAndre Ayton, Arizona

Player of the Year: Bonzie Colson, Notre Dame

Top Defender: Jevon Carter, West Virginia

Best Freshman: Marvin Bagley, Duke

2017-18 RBP Preseason Rankings

1) Duke
2) Michigan State
3) Villanova
4) Arizona
5) Kansas
6) Kentucky
7) West Virginia
8) North Carolina
9) Notre Dame
10) Michigan
11) Wichita State
12) Florida
13) Xavier
14) Louisville
15) Texas A&M
16) Purdue
17) Cincinnati
18) Gonzaga
19) Virginia
20) Saint Mary's
21) Texas
22) Miami
23) Wisconsin
24) Seton Hall
25) Oregon

2017 NBA Draft Lottery

*Picks represent what teams should do and not what they will do.

1) PHI - Lonzo Ball, UCLA
2) LAL - Markelle Fultz, Washington
3) BOS - Josh Jackson, Kansas
4) PHX - Lauri Markkanen, Arizona
5) SAC - De'Aaron Fox, Kentucky
6) ORL - Jonathan Isaac, Florida State
7) MIN - Malik Monk, Kentucky
8) NYK - Jayson Tatum, Duke
9) DAL - Dennis Smith, North Carolina State
10) SAC - OG Anunoby, Indiana
11) CHA - Frank Ntilikina, International
12) DET - Donovan Mitchell, Louisville
13) DEN - Justin Patton, Creighton
14) MIA - Harry Giles, Duke

2016-17 NCAA Honors & Awards

1st Team All-American

Lonzo Ball, UCLA [fr]

Frank Mason, Kansas [sr]

Josh Hart, Villanova [sr]

Dillon Brooks, Oregon [jr]

Caleb Swanigan, Purdue [soph]

2nd Team All-American

Nigel Williams-Goss, Gonzaga [jr]

Sindarius Thornwell, South Carolina [sr]

Bonzie Colson, Notre Dame [jr]

Johnathan Motley, Baylor [jr]

Alec Peters, Valparaiso [sr]

All-Defensive Team

Jevon Carter, West Virginia [jr]

Jordan Bell, Oregon [jr]
Ethan Happ, Wisconsin [soph]

Ben Lammers, Georgia Tech [jr]

Reggie Lynch, Minnesota [jr]

All-Freshman Team

Lonzo Ball, UCLA
De'Aaron Fox, Kentucky

Malik Monk, Kentucky

Josh Jackson, Kansas
TJ Leaf, UCLA

Player of the Year: Lonzo Ball, UCLA

Top Defender: Jordan Bell, Oregon

Best Freshman: Lonzo Ball, UCLA

Coach of the Year: Mark Few, Gonzaga

2016-17 Conference Honors & Awards

All-AAC

Robert Gray, Houston [jr]
Damyean Dotson, Houston [sr]

Dedric Lawson, Memphis [soph]

Semi Ojeleye, Southern Methodist [jr]

Tacko Fall, Central Florida [soph]

Player of the Year: Semi Ojeleye, Southern Methodist

Top Defender: Tacko Fall, Central Florida

Best Freshman: K.J. Lawson, Memphis

Coach of the Year: Tim Jankovich, Southern Methodist

All-ACC

Donovan Mitchell, Louisville [soph]
Luke Kennard, Duke [soph]

Justin Jackson, North Carolina [jr]

Bonzie Colson, Notre Dame [jr]

John Collins, Wake Forest [soph]

Player of the Year: Bonzie Colson, Notre Dame

Top Defender: Ben Lammers, Georgia Tech

Best Freshman: Jayson Tatum, Duke

Coach of the Year: Mike Brey, Notre Dame

All-Big East

Jalen Brunson, Villanova [soph]

Josh Hart, Villanova [sr]
Trevon Blueitt, Xavier [jr]
Kelan Martin, Butler [jr]

Angel Delgado, Seton Hall [jr]

Player of the Year: Josh Hart, Villanova

Top Defender: Mikal Bridges, Villanova

Best Freshman: Shamorie Ponds, St. John's

Coach of the Year: Chris Holtmann, Butler

All-Big Ten

Melo Trimble, Maryland [jr]
Derrick Walton, Michigan [sr]

Bronson Koenig, Wisconsin [sr]

Ethan Happ, Wisconsin [soph]

Caleb Swanigan, Purdue [soph]

Player of the Year: Caleb Swanigan, Purdue

Top Defender: Ethan Happ, Wisconsin

Best Freshman: Miles Bridges, Michigan State

Coach of the Year: Chris Collins, Northwestern

All-Big 12

Monte Morris, Iowa State [sr]

Frank Mason, Kansas [sr]
Jawun Evans, Oklahoma State [soph]
Jevon Carter, West Virginia [jr]

Johnathan Motley, Baylor [jr]

Player of the Year: Frank Mason, Kansas

Top Defender: Jevon Carter, West Virginia

Best Freshman: Josh Jackson, Kansas

Coach of the Year: Bob Huggins, West Virginia

All-Pac-12

Lonzo Ball, UCLA [fr]
Markelle Fultz, Washington [fr]
Dillon Brooks, Oregon [jr]

TJ Leaf, UCLA [fr]
Jordan Bell, Oregon [jr]

Player of the Year: Lonzo Ball, UCLA

Top Defender: Jordan Bell, Oregon

Best Freshman: Lonzo Ball, UCLA

Coach of the Year: Sean Miller, Arizona

All-SEC

De'Aaron Fox, Kentucky [fr]

Malik Monk, Kentucky [fr]

Sindarius Thornwell, South Carolina [sr]

Sebastian Saiz, Mississippi [sr]
Bam Adebayo, Kentucky [fr]

Player of the Year: Sindarius Thornwell, South Carolina

Top Defender: Sindarius Thornwell, South Carolina

Best Freshman: De'Aaron Fox, Kentucky

Coach of the Year: Mike White, Florida

Tar Heels Earn Sixth Championship Banner

...and are a Kris Jenkins game winner away from back-to-back titles.

Bracket Reaction: Nine Notes

1. This is the first time in the now nine-year history of RBP that the Selection Committee has gotten it right.  So, while the seeding was still a little off, at least the most deserving 68 teams are in the field.

2. The Big Ten has been down this year, and the Selection Committee took notice.  No Big Ten school got better than a 4 seed.  Purdue, the Big Ten regular season champ, picked up the 4, while the league's co-runners-up, Maryland and Wisconsin, received 6 and 8 seeds, respectively.  Confusingly, both Minnesota (5) and Michigan (7) were awarded lower seeds than Wisconsin.  The Wolverines at least won the conference tourney and finished 2-1 versus the Badgers this season.  Minnesota, on the other hand, finished a game behind Wisconsin, failed to advance as far in the conference tourney, and lost twice to the Badgers.

3.  Coming into the tournament as the defending champ with the fewest losses since '92 Duke, Villanova gets rewarded with...Wisconsin as its 8 seed.  The Badgers are the strongest 8 seed since Kentucky in '14.  That year the Wildcats knocked off 1 seed Wichita State in the Round of 32.

4.  Speaking of Wichita State and Kentucky, the Shockers are an extremely strong 10 seed.  First Gregg Marshall's squad will need to get past A-10 regular season champion Dayton, but Kentucky could be looking at Ken Pomeroy's 8th ranked team nationally in the Round of 32.

5.  The Selection Committee did Kentucky no favors, placing the Cats in a region that includes both North Carolina and UCLA.  While the Tar Heels likely will have to contend with either Kentucky or UCLA to advance to the Final Four, the top half of the South Region sets up nicely for Roy Williams' squad.  RBP ranks the Heels' 4 (Butler), 5 (Minnesota), and 8 (Arkansas) seeds as the weakest at each of those positions across the entire bracket.

6. Given their overall records, Vanderbilt (4 games over .500) and Michigan State (5 games over .500) have no business being 9 seeds, even in a weak field.  Both should have been headed to Dayton to play their way into the Field of 64.

7.  The Selection Committee released its 1-68 rankings of the tourney field.  Comparing those rankings to RBP's rankings (see previous post), we can see who the Committee is overvaluing and undervaluing.  The Selection Committee is overvaluing -- Vanderbilt (+13), Michigan State (+13), Minnesota (+12), Butler (+11), and Seton Hall (+8).  It is undervaluing -- Wichita State (-13), Wisconsin (-12), Middle Tennessee (-12), Nevada (-8), and Vermont (-8).  RBP and the Selection Committee agreed on Villanova (1), ETSU (52), South Dakota State (64), and Mount St. Mary's (68).

8. Here are the teams included in RBP's preseason top 25 that did not make the tourney -- Indiana (4), Syracuse (14), California (17), Connecticut (21), Texas (22), and Texas A&M (24).

9. With a healthy Chris Boucher, Oregon comes out of the Midwest and is RBP's pick for the title.  Without Boucher, the Ducks' third leading scorer and the Pac-12's top shot blocker, the Ducks will be hard-pressed to advance beyond the Sweet 16.

Field of 68

*Seeding and invites do not project what I believe the Selection Committee will do.  Rather, this entry reflects what the Selection Committee should do.

**This is the weakest bubble in recent memory.  The last four in (the 12 seed play-ins) really have no business being in the tournament.  Kansas State is below .500 in Big 12 play.  The overall records of Vanderbilt and Michigan State are particularly underwhelming - just 4 games and 5 games over .500, respectively.  USC may be the weakest at-large RBP has ever recommended.  The 11 seeds are not much better.  And the first four out - Utah, Syracuse, Illinois State, and Houston are deeply flawed teams that do not deserve 1 seeds in the NIT.

1 seeds
Villanova
Gonzaga
Kansas
North Carolina

2 seeds
UCLA
Oregon
Arizona
Kentucky

3 seeds
Duke
Louisville
West Virginia
Purdue

4 seeds
Baylor
Notre Dame
Florida State
Virginia

5 seeds
Wisconsin
Iowa State
Southern Methodist
Florida

6 seeds
Cincinnati
Michigan
Creighton
Butler

7 seeds
Wichita State
St. Mary's
Maryland
Miami

8 seeds
Dayton
Minnesota
Northwestern
Virginia Tech

9 seeds
South Carolina
Arkansas
Virginia Commonwealth
Middle Tennessee

10 seeds
Marquette
Oklahoma State
Nevada
Xavier

11 seeds
Rhode Island
Seton Hall
Providence
Wake Forest

12 seeds
Vermont
Vanderbilt (play-in)
Kansas State (play-in)
Michigan State (play-in)
USC (play-in)
UNC Wilmington

13 seeds
Princeton
ETSU
Bucknell
New Mexico State

14 seeds
Florida Gulf Coast
Winthrop
Iona
Kent State

15 seeds
Troy
Northern Kentucky
North Carolina Central
Jacksonville State

16 seeds
North Dakota
South Dakota State
New Orleans (play-in)
Texas Southern (play-in)
UC Davis (play-in)
Mount St. Mary's (play-in)

2016-17 Preseason All-Americans & Award Projections

First Team
Grayson Allen, Duke [jr]
Josh Hart, Villanova [sr]
Dillon Brooks, Oregon [jr]
Nigel Hayes, Wisconsin [sr]
Ivan Rabb, California [soph]

Second Team
Monte Morris, Iowa State [sr]
Trevon Blueitt, Xavier [jr]
Jaron Blossomgame, Clemson [sr]
Alec Peters, Valparaiso [sr]
Thomas Bryant, Indiana [soph]

All-Defense
Tra-Deon Hollins, Nebraska-Omaha [soph]
OG Anunoby, Indiana [soph]
Hassan Martin, Rhode Island [sr]
Khadeem Lattin, Oklahoma [jr]
Chris Boucher, Oregon [sr]

All-Freshman
De'Aaron Fox, Kentucky
Dennis Smith, North Carolina State
Malik Monk, Kentucky
Josh Jackson, Kansas
Jayson Tatum, Duke

Player of the Year: Dillon Brooks, Oregon

Top Defender: OG Anunoby, Indiana

Best Freshman: Josh Jackson, Kansas