The early ecstasy of March Madness always energizes the college basketball world. But it also overshadows the end of the regular season and the individual accomplishments of the players and coaches.
Not here. Not at ESPN.com. Here's your choices for the Big 12 Player of the Year, Coach of the Year and Newcomer of the Year.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Tinsley has best overall game of anyone
|  | | Guard Jamaal Tinsley is one reason the Cyclones are a legitimate Final Four contender. |
Are you kidding me? The preseason Player of the Year IS the Big 12 Player of the Year. Jamal's the straw that stirs the soon-to-be Big 12 champions' drink. When it's crunch time, nobody in this conference is better at breaking down a defense as well as the backs of whomever is unfortunate to be on the receiving end of a Cyclone siting. Tinsley's ability to take over a game at the end makes him the obvious choice for Player of the Year.
Blandboy
Bettendorf, Iowa
He is the best point guard is college basketball and is unguardable when he drives to the hoop. He is also a great passer who can always find the open man. Defensively he is a good defender who picks up a lot of steals. He just makes everyone around him better, and when the game is still in doubt, Tinsley takes care of it.
Mark Poist
Ames, Iowa
Rush will show why he's the best in Big 12 tourney
Player of the Year should be an easy choice. Though he went down early, there have been stories that he will be back before the end of the season … Kareem Rush is the hardest man in the country to guard, and by far one of the deadliest shooters/slashers in the nation. He will make an impact on the Tigers when he comes back, and this injury was a blessing, bringing him away from the NBA, and back to the Tigers for one more year!
James Farmer
Lamoni, Iowa
Kareem Rush edges out Tinsley to win Big 12 Player of the Year. Although they are both major role players for their teams, Rush doesn't have the supporting cast that Tinsley does. Not only is Rush a leader, but he puts up big numbers too. He deserves it.
Clint
Des Moines, Iowa
Hinrich is the Big 12's best leader
I think that the player of the year should be Kirk Hinrich. At the beginning of the year I wasn't a huge Hinrich fan but I am now. Once again my team, the Jayhawks have gone through a late season slump but Hinrich has been their for us. Even though the Jayhawks lost at Baylor, Hinrich almost won the game for us with big 3 after big 3.
Michael Watts
Lutherville, Md.
Gregory has been most consistent player all season
Its got to be Kenny Gregory. No one has meant so much to his team as Kenny. You notice what happen when they played Wake Forest. When the Jayhawks have needed a key basket Gregory has been the one to step up. His scoring is consistently putting up numbers to help the team. He not only scores, he rebounds, gets some steals, block shots, and can even knock down the outside shot.
Scott Braithwaite
Lawrence, Kan.
Baylor wouldn't be where its at without Black
Terry Black from Baylor – I think Terry should be the Player of the Year because he is the only player in the conference to be in the top 5 in 4 categories with scoring, rebounding, steals, and field goal percentage. I have seen him play in my conference five years ago at Milwaukee Messmer he was the best player i have seen in person ever. He is a competitor, and is electrifying.
Matt Ivers
New Berlin, Wisc.
Don't forget our Ffriend's in Nebraska
I believe the Player of the Year should be Kimani Ffriend of Nebraska. Ffriend has averaged around 13 points, 7 boards, and 3 blocks a game!! He is the most athletic player I have seen in the Big 12 this season. How goes Ffriend, so goes Nebraska!!
Brandon
Stanton, Neb.
COACH OF THE YEAR
It's Eustachy two straight years
How can you not give this award to Larry Eustachy. The Cyclones were picked to finish no higher than 4th in the Big 12 Conference this year and were not even ranked in the Top 25 before the season started. They are now headed to their second consecutive Big 12 Championship and are ranked 6th in the nation by both polls. If they win out the rest of the way they should be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. I think Larry Eustachy should be National Coach of the Year again this year.
Brad Weber
Dallas, Texas
Larry Eustachy, Iowa State. All I have to say is: who picked the Cyclones to be leading the Big 12 and be ranked 6th in the Nation for this year? Most people had the Cyclones as a mediocre team after Fizer went to the league.
Richard Jean
Des Moines, Iowa
Barnes are raising in Texas
Larry Eustachy or Rick Barnes. It's a toss up. After losing Marcus Fizer and Shirley, another key senior for them and still be 20-3 is amazing. But you have to commend Rick Barnes for the job he has done at Texas. He's taken his team to 20-7 with only one senior scholarship player on his roster. Rotating six freshman in and out of the starting lineup and still being successful in a major Div. I conference is unheard of in college basketball.
Tommy Murray
Houston, Texas
Rick Barnes should get a serious consideration for coach of the year. A new team without a starting senior for the biggining couples of months. Starts four freshman most games. Played a very tough schedule and building a solid program.
Patrick Koyle
Dallas, Texas
Sampson has done the more with less
Without a doubt, no coach has gotten more out of his talent and made his team more mentally tough (especially on the road) as Kelvin Sampson. OU had a lot of "growing pains" in the first 2 weeks of the conference season. A 1-3 league start turned into winning 9 of their next 10, almost assuring themselves of that all-important first-round bye in the Big 12 Tournament, including 4-in-a-row on the road.
Cliff Packard
Leavenworth, Kan.
Coach of the Year should go to Kelvin Sampson. I mean seriously. Do the Sooners have one star? I don't think so. Not like Kansas' Gooden, or Missouri's Rush. Still, the Sooners are one of the most dangerous teams in Division I. All eyes on Sampson.
Colin S. Johnson
Austin, Texas
Bliss has Bears on the rise from
Dave Bliss. He turned Baylor into a team with a better than .500 winning percentage, which many thought would be unheard of in Baylor.
Jason Vertin
Nebraska
Sutton has overcome countless obstacles
Eddie Sutton – Lost four starters and three other seniors, and it looks like OSU will make the tourney. Not bad for a "rebuilding year." The fact that his team is still playing (much less winning) after the plane crash is cause enough.
Bob Atlanta
Georgia
Snyder has team playing above its ability
Quin Snyder. Missouri has had nothing but problems this year, and coach Snyder has led them to a probable berth in the NCAA tournament.
Robert Carter
Lawton, Okla.
HOT DEBATE FOR NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
OSU would be nowhere without Baker
Newcomer of the Year has to go to Maurice Baker of Oklahoma State. Baker is averaging 19.1 ppg and 4.4 assists. At 6'1 he is the Cowboys' best player and plays with a lot of energy. Though Jake Sullivan is having a huge year with Iowa State, the award must go to Baker who means a lot more to his Cowboy team than Jake means to ISU. Don't worry Jake we love you, its just that Baker is the leader on a team that was suppose have a down season and he has them on the bubble with a favorable schedule ahead. Look for the Cowboys in the tournament to make a little noise.
Jason Lastovica
Ames, Iowa
Maurice Baker. What hasn't this guy done? He's in/at top in every category that you need: scoring, assists, steals, rebounds, free throw percentage. He comes to play everyday, and plays unselfish at the same time. Without a doubt the Most Valuable Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, however doesn't get the press Tinsley does on a top 10 team to beat him out, even though he is more deserving.
Michael K
Incirlik, Turkey
Baker may be Newcomer of the Year, but Sullivan is Freshman of the Year
Jake Sullivan of Iowa State is the best freshman in the conference this year. However, for Newcomer of the Year I would give the nod to Maurice Baker of Oklahoma State. Baker is more important to his team than Sullivan is to Iowa State.
Brad Weber
Dallas, Texas
Jake Sullivan is playing with the poise of a senior. It use to take a couple of years in between super star players at Iowa State, now they are pumping them out every year. Sullivan is the best pure shooter in the Big 12, maybe even the country, and I'm not just talking about the freshmen, I mean everybody. This kid can hit from any part of the gym.
Matt Heintz
Iowa City, Iowa
OU's McGhee deserves the honor
This is a tie. Aaron McGhee of Oklahoma and Jake Sullivan of Iowa State must share the honor. If you would have offered a Freshman of the Year award, I might have split the two. However, they both have been big, key contributors to two winning programs.
Zach Rouse
Addison, Texas
Texas is heating up behind play of Evans
Yes I am from Texas. So what. After losing Chris Mihm (NBA), Ivan Wagner and Gabe Muoneke (graduation) Texas was left with a young, small team. Maurice Evans has come into the season and held together what would have been an otherwise mediocre team. The impact a player has on his team matters most, not the individual stats for this one, and Evans has proven to be a dominate player in the Big 12 and a backbone player for the Longhorns.
Colin S. Johnson
Austin, Texas
K-State's Reid, hands down
Newcomer of the Year is, without a doubt, K-State's Larry Reid. He is a phenomenal 3-point shooter and the Wildcats would be even worse off than they are without him.
Jason Stastny
Cottage Grove, Minn.
He is the best player to play at Kansas State in a long time and is helping the turnaround of this program. And this is all coming from a KU fan.
Mike
Hutchinson, Kan.
Missouri pair have been outstanding
The one person I have been VERY impressed with so far this year is Arthur Johnson of Missouri. He was probably the least touted recruit in the Tiger's class last year but has become a huge part of a terrific team. He has unbelievable basketball skills, has good size, and is becoming a dominating presence down low. The Tigers are going to be unbelievable in two or three years.
Andrew Heggen
Marshalltown, Iowa
Wesley Stokes from Missouri should be the main contender for this award. His explosiveness on the court makes things happen. The way he drives the lane reminds me of Kevin Johnson from the Johnson/Barkley/Majerle era Phoenix Suns. With a little more finesse on his game, this kid will go far.
Justin Jacobsen
Rolla, Mo.
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