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NCAA men’s college basketball midseason awards and honors, picked by our hoops expert

NCAA men’s college basketball midseason awards and honors, picked by our hoops expert

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Conference play is now in full swing across the country which means we’ve played a little more than two months of regular season men’s college basketball with a little more than two months still to go.

With this being just about the exact halfway point of the regular season, it feels like the perfect time to hand out some midseason awards.

Midseason National Player of the Year: Cameron Boozer, Duke

The race for national POY isn’t “already over” like some are suggesting, but Duke’s freshman sensation would be the clear choice for every major individual award of this nature if the season ended today. Boozer has been every bit as good as advertised for Jon Scheyer, currently ranking first in the nation in scoring (23.3 ppg), 11th in rebounding (9.7 rpg), and 7th in double-doubles (7).

Midseason National Coach of the Year: Mark Byington, Vanderbilt

With six undefeated teams still remaining and a number of other squads with surprisingly gaudy midseason records, there are no shortage of candidates to put in this space. I’m going with the guy who has taken a Vanderbilt team picked to finish 11th in the SEC at the start of the season and led them to a perfect 15-0 start following Wednesday night’s win over Alabama.

Byington, who spent seven seasons as the head coach at Georgia Southern and four at James Madison before landing the Vandy gig, wasn’t as splashy as some of the other SEC coaching hires of the last five years, but he’s already proven to be one of the best. Through a season and-a-half in Nashville, Byington has posted a 35-13 overall record. That’s music to the ears of Commodore fans who sat through five seasons where Jerry Stackhouse’s teams went a combined 70-92.

Midseason National Freshman of the Year: Cameron Boozer, Duke

We could get cute here and give this award to A.J. Dybantsa, but any time a freshman wins a best overall player award but not a best freshman award, it just feels silly. Cam Boozer has been the best player in college basketball so far this season, which means he’s also been the best freshman in college basketball so far this season.

Midseason First Team All-Americans

Again, he’s really good.

Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan

If we were handing out a “midseason team of the year” award, it would almost certainly go to Michigan, and Lendeborg has been the player most responsible for the Wolverines’ historically dominant 14-0 start. The 6’9 transfer from UAB has had no trouble acclimating himself to the power conference level, averaging 14.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.3 steals per game despite playing through a lingering calf injury in recent weeks.

The highest profile name in the ballyhooed class of 2025, Dybantsa has been every bit as good as advertised so far this season for BYU. He’ll head into the weekend as the nation’s second-leading scorer at 23.1 ppg, and has been the driving force of a Cougar team that has a very real shot to be the first in program history to make a Final Four.

Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State

While he might not have the name recognizability of the three players above him, Jefferson is currently posting averages of 17.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game for an undefeated Iowa State team that owns the best win of the season — a 23-point beatdown of preseason No. 1 Purdue in West Lafayette. The 6’9 forward is the only player in the country to average those numbers, and would be just the third player since 1996-97 to average those numbers. Jefferson recently recorded the ninth triple-double in ISU history with a 10 points, 10 assists and 10 rebound effort against West Virginia.

You could certainly make a case for Toppin’s teammate, Christian Anderson, to be in this spot, but Toppin has been every bit as good as his preseason All-America accolades predicted he’d be. The 6’9 junior is averaging career bests in points (20.9 ppg), rebounds (10.9 rpg) and assists (1.7 apg).

Midseason Second Team All-Americans

Braden Smith, Purdue
Christian Anderson, Texas Tech
Caleb Wilson, North Carolina
Thomas Haugh, Florida
Bennett Stirtz, Iowa

Midseason Third Team All-Americans

Labaron Philon, Alabama
Jaden Bradley, Arizona
Darius Acuff, Arkansas
Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt
Kingston Flemings, Houston

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Deadspin | Yoshinobu Yamamoto bids to give Dodgers length vs. D-backs Jul 4, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) reacts in the seventh inning against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images The Los Angeles Dodgers know they can count on Yoshinobu Yamamoto to throw a lot of innings, and that trait is of extra importance entering Saturday’s game against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks. The Dodgers used seven pitchers Friday after Shohei Ohtani (left knee) was scratched from his start, so the bullpen is a bit beleaguered entering the middle contest of a three-game series. Arizona took advantage with an easy 9-3 victory in the opener. Yamamoto (9-5, 2.49 ERA) will look to restore order. The right-hander has put together quality starts in 13 of 16 outings this season. “The good thing is we’ve got Yamamoto going (Saturday), so we feel good about him taking on a lot of the game,” Roberts said Friday before the implosion of the bullpen game. The 27-year-old Yamamoto has Tuesday’s All-Star Game on the horizon, and his availability to pitch in that contest may depend on how taxed he is Saturday. Yamamoto has tossed seven or more innings on seven occasions, topped by 8 1/3 innings against the Chicago White Sox on June 13. In that contest, Yamamoto took a no-hitter into the ninth before Tristan Peters led off the frame with a homer. In his last outing, Yamamoto matched his season best of 10 strikeouts in a 3-0 victory over the San Diego Padres. He gave up three hits and two walks over seven innings. Yamamoto has won six of his past seven starts. Yamamoto’s first start of the season came against the Diamondbacks on March 26. He gave up two runs and five hits over six innings of an 8-2 victory. Yamamoto has excelled against Arizona, going 4-1 with a 2.08 ERA in seven career starts. Corbin Carroll (2-for-20, six strikeouts) and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (1-for-11) have struggled against Yamamoto. Geraldo Perdomo (4-for-13), Ketel Marte (5-for-18) and Gabriel Moreno (2-for-12) each have homered against Yamamoto. Tim Tawa, who is 1-for-3 against Yamamoto, was the Diamondbacks’ lead man in Friday’s assault. Tawa went 3-for-4 with a homer and matched his career high of four RBIs. “It felt good. We scored early, which was nice,” Tawa said. “Then we got punched in the mouth a little bit but we were able to respond and did a good job.” Gabriel Moreno added two hits and two RBIs as Arizona won its second straight game. While Ohtani couldn’t answer the bell as a pitcher, he did serve as the designated hitter and he’s scheduled to do so again Saturday. He also withdrew from Tuesday’s All-Star game and is slated to undergo an injection next week. “If affects more of my pitching than the hitting side of the game, that’s the reason why,” Ohtani said through an interpreter on why he can still DH. Ohtani’s power was in full display when he led off the game with an opposite-field homer to left. The leadoff blast was Ohtani’s 32nd of his career and 26th with the Dodgers. He trails Mookie Betts (32) and former star Davey Lopes (28) on the franchise’s all-time list. Andy Pages had three hits and homered right after Ohtani, but Los Angeles lost for the fifth time in its past 17 games. Arizona will start right-hander Brandon Pfaadt (2-1, 4.84) on Saturday. Pfaadt, 27, is back in the rotation and has won consecutive starts against the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres. He gave up one run and three hits over 5 1/3 innings against the Giants on June 30 and blanked the Padres on four hits over five innings on Monday. Pfaadt gave up two runs and three hits in an inning of relief against the Dodgers on June 3. Pfaadt is 4-2 with a 5.32 ERA in nine career appearances (eight starts) against Los Angeles. Betts (10-for-24, two homers) and Freddie Freeman (8-for-24, one homer) have fared well against Pfaadt. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Yoshinobu #Yamamoto #bids #give #Dodgers #length #DbacksJul 4, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) reacts in the seventh inning against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers know they can count on Yoshinobu Yamamoto to throw a lot of innings, and that trait is of extra importance entering Saturday’s game against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Dodgers used seven pitchers Friday after Shohei Ohtani (left knee) was scratched from his start, so the bullpen is a bit beleaguered entering the middle contest of a three-game series. Arizona took advantage with an easy 9-3 victory in the opener.

Yamamoto (9-5, 2.49 ERA) will look to restore order. The right-hander has put together quality starts in 13 of 16 outings this season.

“The good thing is we’ve got Yamamoto going (Saturday), so we feel good about him taking on a lot of the game,” Roberts said Friday before the implosion of the bullpen game.

The 27-year-old Yamamoto has Tuesday’s All-Star Game on the horizon, and his availability to pitch in that contest may depend on how taxed he is Saturday.

Yamamoto has tossed seven or more innings on seven occasions, topped by 8 1/3 innings against the Chicago White Sox on June 13. In that contest, Yamamoto took a no-hitter into the ninth before Tristan Peters led off the frame with a homer.

In his last outing, Yamamoto matched his season best of 10 strikeouts in a 3-0 victory over the San Diego Padres. He gave up three hits and two walks over seven innings.

Yamamoto has won six of his past seven starts.

Yamamoto’s first start of the season came against the Diamondbacks on March 26. He gave up two runs and five hits over six innings of an 8-2 victory.

Yamamoto has excelled against Arizona, going 4-1 with a 2.08 ERA in seven career starts.

Corbin Carroll (2-for-20, six strikeouts) and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (1-for-11) have struggled against Yamamoto. Geraldo Perdomo (4-for-13), Ketel Marte (5-for-18) and Gabriel Moreno (2-for-12) each have homered against Yamamoto.

Tim Tawa, who is 1-for-3 against Yamamoto, was the Diamondbacks’ lead man in Friday’s assault.

Tawa went 3-for-4 with a homer and matched his career high of four RBIs.


“It felt good. We scored early, which was nice,” Tawa said. “Then we got punched in the mouth a little bit but we were able to respond and did a good job.”

Gabriel Moreno added two hits and two RBIs as Arizona won its second straight game.

While Ohtani couldn’t answer the bell as a pitcher, he did serve as the designated hitter and he’s scheduled to do so again Saturday. He also withdrew from Tuesday’s All-Star game and is slated to undergo an injection next week.

“If affects more of my pitching than the hitting side of the game, that’s the reason why,” Ohtani said through an interpreter on why he can still DH.

Ohtani’s power was in full display when he led off the game with an opposite-field homer to left.

The leadoff blast was Ohtani’s 32nd of his career and 26th with the Dodgers. He trails Mookie Betts (32) and former star Davey Lopes (28) on the franchise’s all-time list.

Andy Pages had three hits and homered right after Ohtani, but Los Angeles lost for the fifth time in its past 17 games.

Arizona will start right-hander Brandon Pfaadt (2-1, 4.84) on Saturday.

Pfaadt, 27, is back in the rotation and has won consecutive starts against the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres.

He gave up one run and three hits over 5 1/3 innings against the Giants on June 30 and blanked the Padres on four hits over five innings on Monday.

Pfaadt gave up two runs and three hits in an inning of relief against the Dodgers on June 3.

Pfaadt is 4-2 with a 5.32 ERA in nine career appearances (eight starts) against Los Angeles.

Betts (10-for-24, two homers) and Freddie Freeman (8-for-24, one homer) have fared well against Pfaadt.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Yoshinobu #Yamamoto #bids #give #Dodgers #length #Dbacks">Deadspin | Yoshinobu Yamamoto bids to give Dodgers length vs. D-backs Jul 4, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) reacts in the seventh inning against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images The Los Angeles Dodgers know they can count on Yoshinobu Yamamoto to throw a lot of innings, and that trait is of extra importance entering Saturday’s game against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks. The Dodgers used seven pitchers Friday after Shohei Ohtani (left knee) was scratched from his start, so the bullpen is a bit beleaguered entering the middle contest of a three-game series. Arizona took advantage with an easy 9-3 victory in the opener. Yamamoto (9-5, 2.49 ERA) will look to restore order. The right-hander has put together quality starts in 13 of 16 outings this season. “The good thing is we’ve got Yamamoto going (Saturday), so we feel good about him taking on a lot of the game,” Roberts said Friday before the implosion of the bullpen game. The 27-year-old Yamamoto has Tuesday’s All-Star Game on the horizon, and his availability to pitch in that contest may depend on how taxed he is Saturday. Yamamoto has tossed seven or more innings on seven occasions, topped by 8 1/3 innings against the Chicago White Sox on June 13. In that contest, Yamamoto took a no-hitter into the ninth before Tristan Peters led off the frame with a homer. In his last outing, Yamamoto matched his season best of 10 strikeouts in a 3-0 victory over the San Diego Padres. He gave up three hits and two walks over seven innings. Yamamoto has won six of his past seven starts. Yamamoto’s first start of the season came against the Diamondbacks on March 26. He gave up two runs and five hits over six innings of an 8-2 victory. Yamamoto has excelled against Arizona, going 4-1 with a 2.08 ERA in seven career starts. Corbin Carroll (2-for-20, six strikeouts) and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (1-for-11) have struggled against Yamamoto. Geraldo Perdomo (4-for-13), Ketel Marte (5-for-18) and Gabriel Moreno (2-for-12) each have homered against Yamamoto. Tim Tawa, who is 1-for-3 against Yamamoto, was the Diamondbacks’ lead man in Friday’s assault. Tawa went 3-for-4 with a homer and matched his career high of four RBIs. “It felt good. We scored early, which was nice,” Tawa said. “Then we got punched in the mouth a little bit but we were able to respond and did a good job.” Gabriel Moreno added two hits and two RBIs as Arizona won its second straight game. While Ohtani couldn’t answer the bell as a pitcher, he did serve as the designated hitter and he’s scheduled to do so again Saturday. He also withdrew from Tuesday’s All-Star game and is slated to undergo an injection next week. “If affects more of my pitching than the hitting side of the game, that’s the reason why,” Ohtani said through an interpreter on why he can still DH. Ohtani’s power was in full display when he led off the game with an opposite-field homer to left. The leadoff blast was Ohtani’s 32nd of his career and 26th with the Dodgers. He trails Mookie Betts (32) and former star Davey Lopes (28) on the franchise’s all-time list. Andy Pages had three hits and homered right after Ohtani, but Los Angeles lost for the fifth time in its past 17 games. Arizona will start right-hander Brandon Pfaadt (2-1, 4.84) on Saturday. Pfaadt, 27, is back in the rotation and has won consecutive starts against the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres. He gave up one run and three hits over 5 1/3 innings against the Giants on June 30 and blanked the Padres on four hits over five innings on Monday. Pfaadt gave up two runs and three hits in an inning of relief against the Dodgers on June 3. Pfaadt is 4-2 with a 5.32 ERA in nine career appearances (eight starts) against Los Angeles. Betts (10-for-24, two homers) and Freddie Freeman (8-for-24, one homer) have fared well against Pfaadt. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Yoshinobu #Yamamoto #bids #give #Dodgers #length #Dbacks

Quarterfinals got underway on Thursday in Boston, with the first match between Morocco and France. In addition to those two teams six others — Spain, Belgium, England, Norway, Argentina, and Switzerland — are still alive in pursuit of glory.

But by Sunday morning, only four teams will remain.

Here are the teams that have booked a spot in the Semifinals at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This will be updated as teams advance.

France became the first team to advance to the Semifinals with a 2-0 win over Morocco on Thursday in Boston. Kylian Mbappé won a penalty in the first half, but keeper Yassine Bounou guessed right and made the save to keep the match level, and that is how the first half ended with the score 0-0.

But France broke through in the second half, first with a stunning strike from Mbappé:

And then this goal from Ousmane Dembélé, where you see the impact of Mbappé’s gravity as he runs through the box:

France now awaits the winner of Friday’s match between Spain and Belgium.

Spain and Belgium were level for nearly 90 minutes. Fabián Ruiz scored in the 30th minute to give Spain an early lead, but Charles De Ketelaere pulled Belgium level in the 41st minute.

But then just before stoppage time at the end of the second half, super-sub Mikel Merino was the man on the spot for Spain. He pounced on a rebound allowed by backup keeper Senne Lammens — who came in on relief of Thibaut Courtois, who appeared to suffer a knock in the 67th minute — and put Spain ahead:

That goal came days after Merino came on as a substitute and delivered the winning goal against Portugal.

#World #Cup #teams #advanced #Semifinals">World Cup 2026: What teams have advanced to the Semifinals? Quarterfinals got underway on Thursday in Boston, with the first match between Morocco and France. In addition to those two teams six others — Spain, Belgium, England, Norway, Argentina, and Switzerland — are still alive in pursuit of glory.But by Sunday morning, only four teams will remain.Here are the teams that have booked a spot in the Semifinals at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This will be updated as teams advance.France became the first team to advance to the Semifinals with a 2-0 win over Morocco on Thursday in Boston. Kylian Mbappé won a penalty in the first half, but keeper Yassine Bounou guessed right and made the save to keep the match level, and that is how the first half ended with the score 0-0.But France broke through in the second half, first with a stunning strike from Mbappé:And then this goal from Ousmane Dembélé, where you see the impact of Mbappé’s gravity as he runs through the box:France now awaits the winner of Friday’s match between Spain and Belgium.Spain and Belgium were level for nearly 90 minutes. Fabián Ruiz scored in the 30th minute to give Spain an early lead, but Charles De Ketelaere pulled Belgium level in the 41st minute.But then just before stoppage time at the end of the second half, super-sub Mikel Merino was the man on the spot for Spain. He pounced on a rebound allowed by backup keeper Senne Lammens — who came in on relief of Thibaut Courtois, who appeared to suffer a knock in the 67th minute — and put Spain ahead:That goal came days after Merino came on as a substitute and delivered the winning goal against Portugal. #World #Cup #teams #advanced #Semifinals

Quarterfinals got underway on Thursday in Boston, with the first match between Morocco and France. In addition to those two teams six others — Spain, Belgium, England, Norway, Argentina, and Switzerland — are still alive in pursuit of glory.

But by Sunday morning, only four teams will remain.

Here are the teams that have booked a spot in the Semifinals at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This will be updated as teams advance.

France became the first team to advance to the Semifinals with a 2-0 win over Morocco on Thursday in Boston. Kylian Mbappé won a penalty in the first half, but keeper Yassine Bounou guessed right and made the save to keep the match level, and that is how the first half ended with the score 0-0.

But France broke through in the second half, first with a stunning strike from Mbappé:

And then this goal from Ousmane Dembélé, where you see the impact of Mbappé’s gravity as he runs through the box:

France now awaits the winner of Friday’s match between Spain and Belgium.

Spain and Belgium were level for nearly 90 minutes. Fabián Ruiz scored in the 30th minute to give Spain an early lead, but Charles De Ketelaere pulled Belgium level in the 41st minute.

But then just before stoppage time at the end of the second half, super-sub Mikel Merino was the man on the spot for Spain. He pounced on a rebound allowed by backup keeper Senne Lammens — who came in on relief of Thibaut Courtois, who appeared to suffer a knock in the 67th minute — and put Spain ahead:

That goal came days after Merino came on as a substitute and delivered the winning goal against Portugal.

#World #Cup #teams #advanced #Semifinals">World Cup 2026: What teams have advanced to the Semifinals?

Quarterfinals got underway on Thursday in Boston, with the first match between Morocco and France. In addition to those two teams six others — Spain, Belgium, England, Norway, Argentina, and Switzerland — are still alive in pursuit of glory.

But by Sunday morning, only four teams will remain.

Here are the teams that have booked a spot in the Semifinals at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This will be updated as teams advance.

France became the first team to advance to the Semifinals with a 2-0 win over Morocco on Thursday in Boston. Kylian Mbappé won a penalty in the first half, but keeper Yassine Bounou guessed right and made the save to keep the match level, and that is how the first half ended with the score 0-0.

But France broke through in the second half, first with a stunning strike from Mbappé:

And then this goal from Ousmane Dembélé, where you see the impact of Mbappé’s gravity as he runs through the box:

France now awaits the winner of Friday’s match between Spain and Belgium.

Spain and Belgium were level for nearly 90 minutes. Fabián Ruiz scored in the 30th minute to give Spain an early lead, but Charles De Ketelaere pulled Belgium level in the 41st minute.

But then just before stoppage time at the end of the second half, super-sub Mikel Merino was the man on the spot for Spain. He pounced on a rebound allowed by backup keeper Senne Lammens — who came in on relief of Thibaut Courtois, who appeared to suffer a knock in the 67th minute — and put Spain ahead:

That goal came days after Merino came on as a substitute and delivered the winning goal against Portugal.

#World #Cup #teams #advanced #Semifinals

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