Sean Miller wonders why Arizona can’t get award recognition
Jan 9, 2013, 4:44 PM | Updated: 4:53 pm
It’s an understatement to say that things have gone pretty well for the University of Arizona’s basketball team so far in the 2012-13 season.
The Wildcats are 14-0 and are ranked in the top five in the nation. But apparently that’s not enough.
During Tuesday’s Pac-12 coaches teleconference, Arizona head coach Sean Miller asked Dave Hirsch, the conference’s VP of communications, why the ‘Cats aren’t getting any love when it comes to the weekly individual awards.
“Hey Dave, what do we gotta do to get one of our players the Player of the Week (award), is there something that we’re missing,” Miller asked. “I’ve seen our guys play, there are great players and teams, I don’t want to take anything away from it, but don’t you think it’s somewhat remarkable that a team can be 14-0 and number three in the nation right now. Maybe we won’t win another game, but not one of our players played well enough to win a Player of the Week award?”
Hirsch explained that the awards for all sports were voted on by a panel of employees at the Pac-12 offices each Monday morning. As Hirsch continued his explanation, Miller interjected.
“Who’s on the panel? Is there any way that I can figure out who’s making those decisions,” he asked. “I have a hard time believing it. I look at our tournament in Honolulu and Solomon Hill is the MVP, just give it to him one time, right?”
Hill, a senior All-Pac-12 player last season, averaged 12 points and five rebounds per game and shot 42% from the field in Arizona’s tournament victory at the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu.
The following Monday, UCLA freshman Shabazz Muhammad was named the conference Player of the Week, after scoring 27 points and hitting the go-ahead three-pointer with a minute left in overtime during the Bruins’ upset win of then-7th-ranked Missouri on December 28.
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