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On Women's Basketball

My All-Big Ten ballot, and other notes

Posted by: Tony Bleill

Monday, March 2, 2009 4:42 PM

I have been on the voting panel for All-Big Ten honors every year I've been on the beat, which began in 1998-99, but never have I faced such a daunting challenge as this year. By the time I submitted my ballot late Sunday afternoon, my head hurt. Still does.

Here's how I voted. I've listed the players in the order that I put them on the teams. In other words, my first choice for the First Team was Jantel Lavender, and my final choice for the first team was Kristi Smith.

The media and coaches selections will be revealed on the Big Ten Network at 6:30 tonight:

FIRST TEAM

Jantel Lavender, Ohio State

Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton, Purdue

Jenna Smith, Illinois

Tyra Grant, Penn State

Kristi Smith, Iowa

SECOND TEAM

Whitney Thomas, Indiana

Amy Jaeschke, Northwestern

Emily Fox, Minnesota

Kachine Alexander, Iowa

Allyssa DeHaan, Michigan State

THIRD TEAM

Samantha Prahalis, Ohio State

Jamie Braun, Indiana

Lacey Simpson, Illinois

Star Allen, Ohio State

Ashley Ellis-Milan, Minnesota

Player of the Year (we have to vote for our top 3): 1. Lavender, 2. Wisdom-Hylton, 3. J. Smith

Freshman of the Year: 1. Prahalis, 2. Brittany Rayburn, Purdue, 3. Lykendra Johnson, Michigan State

Coach of the Year: 1. Jim Foster, Ohio State, 2. Suzy Merchant, Michigan State, 3. Pam Borton, Minnesota

Some quick thoughts:

--Had an impossible time choosing the final member of the third team. Went with Ellis-Milan over a bunch of players, most notably Purdue's Lakisha Freeman.

--Wasn't terribly comfortable putting DeHaan on second team, but the fact is she's the most important player on the league's second-place team.

--Went with Kristi Smith for that final spot on the first team, largely because she's just a very solid player. Shoots extremely well, distributes the ball, plays OK defense. If you're game-planning against her and you don't account for her, you're going to lose.

Other happenings on the Monday of one of my favorite weeks of the entire calendar (if you're not aware -- and you will be by the time this week is over -- the Big Ten tournament might be the event I most look forward to covering (outside of the NCAA tournament, but I haven't had that experience since 2003):

--The Illini had a long night of traveling after their surprising win at Minnesota on Sunday. They spent about four hours at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport because of plane trouble that, apparently, stemmed for the pilot's seat buckle. Seriously. They sat on the plane for an hour, then got off and waited as the company switched planes. In the meantime, the players watched the Vandy-Tennessee game on TV. They finally arrived in C-U around 10:30.

--Which, of course, meant that coach Jolette Law missed the taping of her television show, which was supposed to air at 11:30 p.m. That's why it wasn't on last night. But the show finally got produced and will be airing in its regular time slot on the Big Ten Network on Wednesday.

--Law spent Monday flying to Michigan to watch UI recruit Destiny Williams' Benton Harbor team compete in district play tonight. Chicago Marshall's Adrienne GodBold plays in the Loyola super-sectional tonight against Lombard Montini with a berth in the Class 3A state tournament on the line. If Marshall wins, the Commandos will play at noon Friday at Redbird Arena.

--Did you catch Minnesota coach Pam Borton's quotes after Sunday's game? Wow. She was not happy, calling it an "absolutely embarrassing performance." There's more. Check it out here and especially here.