M-V-P

On Monday afternoon, the men's basketball team gathered together at the end of practice like it typically does. Head coach Reggie Witherspoon began to list off his daily announcements as he always does, but Monday's announcements were special.

Witherspoon used the time to inform senior forward Mitchell Watt that he was named Mid-American Conference Player of the Year.

Watt is the second Buffalo player to earn such honors, the first being Turner Battle seven years ago.

"I'm just glad that I found out in front of my whole team," Watt said. "It's really them who got me where I am today. I'm really glad that I was able to share that moment with everybody. That was cool."

Although it may have been the team that helped him get there, his numbers speak for themselves. Watt finished the regular season in the top five in five different statistical categories within the MAC.

He ranks fourth in the MAC in points per game with 16, rebounds per game with 7.4, and made 58 percent of his shots from the field. He also ranks second in the MAC in blocked shots with 67, and third in defensive rebounding, pulling down 151 on the year.

Although his offensive numbers are impressive, assistant coach Jim Kwitchoff feels as though it's his defensive capabilities that make Watt stand above the rest of the candidates.

"It's very easy for people to look at points and rebounds," Kwitchoff said. "When you start looking at blocked shots, and shots altered, and when you really look at his defensive presence, I think that's the X-factor."

Watt has led the Bulls to their highest seed in the postseason tournament ever, and is part of the winningest class in school history. The Bulls gained the No. 2 seed in the MAC tournament.

Gaining the Player of the Year might garner more attention from opposing teams, but Watt isn't worried about that.

"There may be a little bit of a target on my back, but no more pressure on me," Watt said. "I got here playing team basketball, and that's a pressure-free kind of game."

Perseverance has been a key to the success of Watt. Not only has he overcome the muscle-weakening Guillain-Barré syndrome, but he's also fought through numerous minor injuries all season long.

Coming back from them has led to his most impressive stretch of the season, fully cementing his candidacy for Player of the Year. Over the past five games he's averaged 20.8 points while shooting at a very efficient 68 percent clip. He's also held his own on the boards, snagging 5.8 rebounds over that stretch.

"I think I'm at the high point in my play right now," Watt said. "But there are mistakes that I see myself making on film, and I go into lulls that my teammates have to pull me out of. So as happy as I am with my play now I know I can get better."

Getting better is something that Watt has been successful at all season long, and he hopes that it will continue over to the MAC tournament. Watt looks to lead the Bulls to their first ever Conference title this weekend in Cleveland.

Email: sports@ubspectrum