CNNSI.com's All-Americans: Cincy's Logan named MVP
Posted: Monday March 11, 2002 1:14 PM
By Mark Button, CNNSI.com
This was easier than you might think.
During the past 4 1/2 months, we watched somewhere in the neighborhood of 531 college basketball games. We made some notes. We discussed the nation's top talent and came up with CNNSI.com's 2001-02 All-American team.
Bada-bing, bada-boom. It was that simple.
So while we might not be able to guarantee a national championship pick, we can say with absolute certainty that five players clearly separated themselves as the best in the country.
Duke's Jason Williams, Kansas' Drew Gooden, Cincinnati's Steve Logan, Maryland's Juan Dixon and Gonzaga's Dan Dickau were all locks. They all have plenty of statistical credibility, but it's the intangible each of them brings to the floor that ultimately makes them first-team All-Americans.
It's their will to win that makes these players different.
You won't find five more confident players. You can't find players who more want the ball in their hands with the game in doubt (or even when it's not). There is no better talent.
Yeah, determining the first-team All-American wasn't so tough. Narrowing down the second team was more difficult. Picking the Player of the Year, however, was the most daunting challenge of all.
It came down to Williams, Gooden and Logan. Three exceptional players, each deserving of the honor as the nation's best player. After reviewing each player's case time and again, we settled on Logan, basically for one reason. Can you even name another player on Cincinnati's team?
This isn't a knock on Cincinnati, but take Williams off Duke's team or Gooden from Kansas and both teams still win 20 games. Subtract Logan from Cincinnati's roster and the Bearcats might not finish the year at .500. Instead, Cincinnati is 30-3 and the No. 1 seed in the West region.
And now on to the awards ...
First Team All-America
AP
Steve Logan, G, Cincinnati
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
22.0 ppg., 5.1 apg., 46% FG, 87% FT
The Skinny
Whether it was timely 3-pointer, a slick drive to the bucket, a key assist or crucial steal, Logan carried Cincinnati to a 30-3 record, a C-USA title and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
Brian Bahr/Allsport
Jason Williams, G, Duke
21.6 ppg., 5.2 apg., 2.1 spg., 46% FG
The Skinny
Nothing ever bothers Williams. Even when he misses six in a row, he's always one shot away from catching fire and turning the game in Duke's favor.
AP
Drew Gooden, F, Kansas
20.3 ppg., 11.2 rpg., 1.9 spg., 51% FG
The Skinny
Perhaps the nation's smoothest player, Gooden can hurt you in any number of ways: the baby hook, the baseline jumper, a lob pass for a dunk or cleaning the offensive glass.
AP
Juan Dixon, G, Maryland
19.3 ppg., 4.8 rpg., 2.7 spg., 90% FT
The Skinny
Exceptional on offense, Dixon separates himself from the other four on this list because of his defense. The guy always seems to rise for the key steal or defensive stop.
Jonathan Daniel/Allsport
Dan Dickau, G, Gonzaga
20.8 ppg., 4.7 apg., 3.1 rpg., 47% 3-pointers
The Skinny
It's gotta be the hair. No, Dickau is so much more. Like Williams, Dickau is terminally flammable. His best attribute? The bigger the game, the better he plays.
Second Team All-America
Jason Gardner Arizona
Mike Dunleavy Duke
Sam Clancy USC
Jared Jeffries Indiana
Dwyane Wade Marquette
20.5 ppg 4.5 apg
17.4 ppg 7.2 rpg
19.0 ppg 9.5 rpg
15.2 ppg 7.5 rpg
17.8 ppg 6.6 apg
Honorable mention: Carlos Boozer, Duke; Caron Butler, Connecticut; Erwin Dudley, Alabama; T.J. Ford, Texas; Jarvis Hayes, Georgia; Kirk Hinrich, Kansas; Casey Jacobsen, Stanford; Frederick Jones, Oregon; Brandin Knight, Pittsburgh; Luke Walton, Arizona; David West, Xavier.
Coach of the Year
Game of the Year
Lute Olson, Arizona
UNLV 120, New Mexico 117, 2 OT
Despite losing four starters to the NBA, Olson turned right around and led the Wildcats to an NCAA No. 3 seed.
Last-second shots filled the end of all three periods of a Mountain West quarterfinal that didn't end until nearly 3 a.m. EST.
Freshman of the Year
Newcomer of the Year
T.J. Ford, Texas
Jarvis Hayes, Georgia
The clear leader of the Longhorns, he led the nation in assists (8.2 per game) as a true freshman.
A transfer from Western Carolina, Hayes finished as the SEC's top scorer (17.8 points per game).
Biggest Surprise
Biggest Flop
Texas Tech Red Raiders
North Carolina Tar Heels
Bob Knight did a complete overhaul of a 9-19 team, leading the Raiders to a 23-8 record.
A drop-off was expected after losing four key players, but 20 losses???? Did it really just happen?
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