Denzel Valentine was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Feb. 7 after putting up 21 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in a MSU victory against the University of Michigan.
The following week, Valentine averaged 28.5 points, 11.5 assists, 6.5 rebounds and two steals per game, making him the back-to-back player of the week on Monday.
Although Valentine will surely be a favorite to with a third-straight Big Ten honor, he also finds himself in the running for another one.
In its inaugural year, the State Farm Assist of the Year award will be handed out to a fan-voted player with the best assist of the season. Valentine was chosen as a contestant after his no-look, over-the-head pass to Gavin Schilling for a layup on Jan. 10.
Voting for the first round, which features four of the 16 assists, is currently open and will remain open until Feb. 18. After that the next round of voting will open up featuring a new set of four assists, until there is only a "Final Four," which will be voted on from March 4 - 9. The champion will be announced on March 10.
Fans who wish to vote for their pick can go to https://assistoftheyear.com/contest and select their favorite assist. Voting for round one ends on Feb 18.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
