On paper, it appears that J.J. Redick and Adam Morrison remain neck-and-neck in their year-long battle for National Player of the Year supremacy.
Morrison leads the nation in scoring, pouring in 28.4 points per game while Redick nips at his heels, averaging 27.6.
There remains one important distinction between the two, however, that should have Duke's all-time leading scorer holding the Naismith, Wooden and Rupp Awards at season's end: Redick is way out of Morrison's league, literally.
Yes, Morrison averages more points than any other player in the nation, but he has done so against laughable teams in the WCC. Gonzaga's strength of schedule ranks 93rd, a far cry from Duke, which holds the top spot. The Bulldogs have not won a single game against a current top-25 team.
As the most visible player on college basketball's signature team, Redick has endured unparalleled attention from opponents, fans and the media. And through it all, he has still managed to separate himself from his west coast rival.
With 2,638 points in his career, Redick is the all-time leading scorer in the ACC, making him the most prolific offensive player in the history of the sport's most storied league.
Redick has poured in 833 of those points this season despite facing the toughest schedule in the nation. The sharpshooter has averaged 28.1 points per game against ranked teams while guiding Duke to an 8-1 record against top-25 squads.
In leading the Blue Devils to a 27-3 record, an ACC regular season title and a No. 1 RPI ranking, Redick has taken every team's best shot in stride. Opposing coaches have tried everything-double teams, triple teams, box-and-ones-to stop him. With a combination of deadly shooting, exhausting athleticism and deceptively quick off-the-dribble scoring, Redick has become the most unstoppable force in the game.
Some might argue that Redick has lost a step to Morrison after four consecutive sub-par games in which the Duke senior shot 29-percent from the field, a percentage uglier than Morrison's trademark mustache.
Away from the oppressive media scrutiny Redick has faced throughout his record-breaking senior season, Morrison has quietly suffered through a scoring slump of his own. The Gonzaga senior has averaged 23.6 points over his last five games while shooting 37 percent from the field.
Redick may have shown signs of mortality in the past few weeks, but the buzz surrounding his scoring drop-off to a meager 20.3 points per game (come on people) only further proves what an astonishing offensive presence he has been this season.
Sorry Adam, but this is J.J.'s year.
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