The All-Big Ten selections and awards turned out almost exactly as expected for the Gophers on Monday.
The honors Nate Mason (first team), Reggie Lynch (Defensive Player of the Year), Amir Coffey (freshman team) and Richard Pitino (Coach of the Year) earned became a strong possibility during Minnesota's eight-game win streak this season to finish 23-8 and 11-7 in the Big Ten.
The biggest surprise to me was Jordan Murphy not being picked by either the media or coaches on the All-Big Ten second team. Murphy, a member of the third team, had the most impressive stretch of any power forward in the conference in February.
Big Ten awards (my picks were the same):
Player of the year: Caleb Swanigan, Purdue
Coach of the year: Richard Pitino, Minnesota
Freshman of the year: Miles Bridges, Michigan State
Defensive player of the year: Reggie Lynch, Minnesota*
Sixth man of the year: Nicholas Baer, Iowa*
*Coaches selection only
Coaches and Media All-Big Ten First Team**
G- Melo Trimble, Maryland
G- Nate Mason, Minnesota
G- Peter Jok, Iowa
F- Ethan Happ, Wisconsin
F- Caleb Swanigan, Purdue
**My picks are the same as coaches and media
My All-Big Ten Second Team
G- Derrick Walton Jr., Michigan
G- Bryant McIntosh, Northwestern
G- Malcolm Hill, Illinois
F- Miles Bridges, Michigan State
F- Jordan Murphy, Minnesota
Coaches All-Big Ten Second Team
G- Derrick Walton Jr., Michigan
G- Bryant McIntosh, Northwestern
G- Bronson Koenig, Wisconsin
G- Malcolm Hill, Illinois
F- Miles Bridges, Michigan State
Media All-Big Ten Second Team
G- Bryant McIntosh, Northwestern
G- Derrick Walton, Michigan
G- Tai Webster, Nebraska
G- Malcolm Hill, Illinois
F- Miles Bridges, Michigan State
My All-Big Ten Third Team
G- Bronson Koenig, Wisconsin
G- Tai Webster, Nebraska
F- Vincent Edwards, Purdue
F-Nigel Hayes, Wisconsin
C-Thomas Bryant, Indiana
Coaches Third Team
G- Tai Webster, Nebraska
G- Scottie Lindsey, Northwestern
F- Nigel Hayes, Wisconsin
F- Jordan Murphy, Minnesota
C- Thomas Bryant, Indiana
Media Third Team
G- Bronson Koenig, Wisconsin
G- James Blackmon Jr., Indiana
G/F- Vincent Edwards, Purdue
F- Jordan Murphy, Minnesota
C- Thomas Bryant, Indiana
Coaches All-Defensive Team
G- Dakota Mathias, Purdue
G- Zak Showalter, Wisconsin
G- Vic Law, Northwestern
F- Ethan Happ, Wisconsin
C- Reggie Lynch, Minnesota