The Bleacher Report named Sean Miller its national coach of the year while Lauri Markkanen picked up a trio of third-team all-American honors when some national publications began releasing postseason awards today.
Markkanen was on the third team of Sporting News, USA Today and NBC Sports.
Miller can pick up a $40,000 bonus if he is named to one of the major national coach of the year awards: NABC, Naismith or AP. None of those have been decided yet.
It's interesting to see the perception of the Pac-12's two top players, Lonzo Ball and Dillon Brooks: Both were named to USA Today's first team and both were named to NBC's third team. Sporting News had Ball on its first team and Brooks on its second.
The Ball-Brooks decision likely was a tough one for Pac-12 coaches, who voted on the conference's official awards that will be released later today.
Jon Wilner of the Mercury News picks Ball but I'm guessing Brooks wins it because the coaches often side with veteran players for that award if its a close call. But Ball's impact on the Bruins has been difficult to understate.
Pac-12 coach of the year also could be a close call between Miller, Oregon's Dana Altman and UCLA's Steve Alford. Wilner picks Alford, Bill Walton and Dave Pasch said on the air last week they'd go with Altman while Roxy Bernstein says it's Miller.
UA sits as a No. 3 seed in the South in Joe Lunardi's most recent projection, while CBS' Jerry Palm the Wildcats a No. 2 in the Midwest (Palm actually also has Oregon and UCLA getting No. 2 seeds too).
UA has an RPI of 9, is 21 in Kenpom and 21 in Sagarin.
Veteran Seattle sports columnist Bud Withers weighs in on the complicated Lorenzo Romar situation.
