When the Naismith Committee released its list of 10 semifinalists for National Defensive Player of the Year on Thursday, it seemed like almost a lock that Xavier Tillman would be on it.
The junior big man is coming off his best defensive game of the season against arguably the national player of the year in Luka Garza, holding him to just one shot attempt in the paint in the final seven minutes of the game. He had been playing great defense all season long, though, and the Garza matchup was just the biggest opportunity for him.
But Tillman was missing from the list.