2013 John Wooden Award Odds and Predictions: Top 5 Favorites

2013 John Wooden Award Odds, Picks and Predictions – Top 5 Favorites: The end is in sight for college basketball’s regular season, and the frontrunners for the 2013 Wooden Award have emerged. The race for college basketball’s most prestigious individual honor has been wide open all year, and it isn’t going to change in the final week of the season. The competition is literally so tight that the name at the top of the rankings can change on any given night and one big performance could be the difference. On that note, here is a closer lokm at who has the upper hand as the contenders for this year’s Wooden Award begin their final push.

2013 John Wooden Award Odds and Predictions – Top 5 Favorites to Win

1.      Otto Porter Jr., Small Forward, Georgetown Hoyas

Georgetown’s leading scorer is getting hot at the right time, and he has the Hoyas poised to grab the Big East regular season crown. The 6’8” forward is a matchup nightmare on both ends of the court, and he has emerged as an elite scorer and defender. Porter is averaging 16.1 points per game on 51.1 percent shooting to go along with 7.6 rebounds and nearly two steals. More importantly, he has delivered some of his best performances in Georgetown’s biggest games, including a 33-point effort at Syracuse that snapped the Orange’s 38-game home winning streak. If Porter closes the year with a couple of more stout performances of the upstart Hoyas, he has going to make a strong case to be named the winner of the Wooden Award.

2.      Trey Burke, Point Guard, Michigan Wolverines

Burke has been at or near the top of the rankings most of the year, but Michigan’s recent loss to a Penn State team that was previously winless in conference play dropped him down to No. 2. Still, it is hard to find a player more valuable to his team than Burke. He leads the Wolverines with 18.8 points per game, 6.9 assist and 1.4 steals, and he is shooting 49.6 percent from the field. Burke is the engine that drives Michigan’s efficient offense, and while he is great at getting his teammates open looks, he is also the go-to scorer in clutch situations. With two home games remaining against top-10 teams, Burke will have two golden opportunities to prove he deserves to win the Wooden Award.

3.      Marcus Smart, Point Guard, Oklahoma State Cowboys

For those of you that haven’t seen the true freshman play, you are missing something special. Smart is stuffing the stat sheet to the tune of 14.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.9 steals per game, and he is the type of player that can create his own shot or get to the foul line in late-game situations. More importantly, he has the Cowboys ranked 15th in the country and one game back in the Big 12 with a 21-6 record just one year after Oklahoma State finished 15-18. Smart and company’s lone loss in the their last 10 games was a one-point, double-overtime defeat to Kansas, and as the Cowboys climb in the polls, Smart is climbing in the Wooden Award rankings.

4.      Victor Oladipo, Shooting Guard, Indiana Hoosiers

The junior is one of the most explosive athletes and efficient scorers in the country, and he is averaging 14.1 points on 63.3 percent shooting. Oladipo is also averaging 5.9 rebounds and 2.3 steals and is an excellent one-on-one defender. He is definitely helped by the fact that he has made plenty of game-changing, highlight-reel plays for an Indianan team that has spent a lot of time at No. 1 this season. At the same time, he is surrounded by talented teammates and plays in an up-tempo, stat-friendly offensive system. Oladipo has been the best player on one of the country’s best teams, but he hasn’t had to carry the Hoosiers on his shoulders. It is going to take a couple of unforgettable performances down the stretch if he wants to jump to the top of the rankings.

5.      Kelly Olynyk, Power Forward, Gonzaga Bulldogs

The Bulldogs have climbed to No. 2 in the polls, setting a school record for the highest ranking in program history. Olynyk’s steady play has been a huge part of the team’s success, and he has scored 12 or more points in all but one game this year. Olynyk currently leads Gonzaga in scoring at 17.7 points per game on 66.0 percent shooting. He is also pulling down 7.0 rebounds per game and is averaging 1.2 blocks. The seven-footer is one of the most skilled and versatile big men in the country, and his presence in the middle has the Bulldogs steamrolling to a West Coast Conference title and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

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