It took awhile for Colorado State senior forward Andy Ogide to find a school that was the right fit, but in retrospect he couldn’t have made a better decision four years ago in leaving the University of Mississippi and heading for Fort Collins.
Improving each season, Ogide has made himself into one of the Mountain West Conference’s best frontcourt players. The Front Range Report is naming him the area’s college men’s player of the year.
“Andy has been terrific all year,” CSU coach Tim Miles said. “But what’s really impressive is that he consistently gets better in all facets — offense, defense, rebounding, leadership, everything. He’s better today than he was two months ago.”
Ogide, 6-foot-9 and 245 pounds, was born in Florida and grew up in suburban Atlanta. After playing in just five games for Mississippi as a freshman, Ogide looked for a better opportunity and chose CSU.
His work ethic helped Miles change the culture of the program. The Rams have clinched their first winning record since going 17-13 in 2006-07 and are on track for their first winning MWC record in 11 years.
Ogide entered this past week ranked third among MWC scorers (16.6) and fourth in rebounding (7.4). His 58.7 percent shooting from the field laps that of his nearest MWC competitors. A model of consistency, he has come up big in big games, including averages of 21.5 points and nine rebounds in two games against BYU and recording a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds against San Diego State.
“In any environment, even difficult ones, Andy will find a way to be successful,” Miles said.
Joining Ogide on The Front Range Report’s first team in alphabetical order:
Northern Colorado senior guard Devon Beitzel. A 6-1 sharpshooter, Beitzel helped transform UNC from Big Sky cellar-dweller to a contender for the conference crown. He entered last week topping the league in scoring (20.3) and ranked first in free-throw shooting (.910), 10th nationally.
Colorado sophomore guard Alec Burks. A 6-6 high-wire act, Burks has by far the most NBA potential among area players as a likely first-round pick whenever he turns pro. He entered the weekend ranked second among Big 12 scorers (19.3) and was 16th in rebounding (6.0) and third in free-throw shooting (.842).
Colorado State senior forward Travis Franklin. The 6-7 Louisianan began last week ranked seventh (13.5) among MWC scorers, sixth in offensive rebounds (1.88) and eighth in steals (1.31).
Colorado senior guard Cory Higgins. “Mr. Dependable” for the Buffs as a four-year starter, Higgins ranks eighth in the Big 12 (16.2) in scoring. He tops the conference from the free- throw line at .906 and is a solid defender.
Wyoming senior guard-forward Aubrey Vandiver tops the Front Range Report all-area women’s team as player of the year. The daughter of former Colorado star Shaun Vandiver, she entered last week leading the Mountain West in scoring (18.2) and, at just 5-11, she was second in rebounding (9.1).
“I’ve seen tapes of my dad,” Aubrey said, “and I guess I inherited some of his competitiveness. I don’t like to lose.”
Vandiver is joined on the first team by CU sophomore guard Chucky Jeffery (13.6 points, 8.2 rebounds for third in the conference); DU junior forward Kaetyln Murdoch (16.6 points to rank third in the Sun Belt, 6.6 rebounds); Northern Colorado sophomore forward Lauren Oosdyke (13.5 points, .469 shooting); and CU senior forward Brittany Spears (17.1 points to rank seventh in the Big 12, 8.0 rebounds to rank fifth).
SPOTLIGHT ON
Levi Knutson, G, Colorado
The senior from Littleton is averaging 11.6 points and has developed into the top sixth man along the Front Range and perhaps the best in the Big 12 Conference. With 18 points Wednesday night in the victory at Texas Tech, Knutson led the team in scoring for the fourth game this season. He had 21 points in Saturday’s upset of No. 5 Texas. He has made at least one 3-pointer in the past 17 games, and in 27 of the 29 games this season. He tops the Big 12 in 3-point shooting (.470).
Ironically, CU coach Tad Boyle pegged Knutson as merely a spot-up shooter when Boyle was coach at Northern Colorado and didn’t bother to recruit the former Arapahoe High standout. Knutson picked CU over Air Force.
“Levi does so much for us,” Boyle said recently. “He has been a big part of our success.”
