You can point to a bunch of things, but as talk heats up who is the Defensive Player of the Year in the Pac-12 (an official award from the conference), it is hard not to put Carrick Felix near the top of the list.

Doug Haller of the Arizona Republic highlighted it in mid-January, that being just how good of a defender Carrick Felix has  become.

Before looking at the chart below, know that Haller also pointed out two really good Pac-12 players (not listed below) are Andre Roberson of Colorado and E.J. Singler of Oregon. Roberson was 2-of-10 against ASU, while Singler was 1-of-9.

And then remember what Tad Boyle said about Carrick on a conference call earlier in the year:

“He’s playing at a high, high level,” said Boyle back in January. “I know (freshman point guard Jahii Carson) is obviously a special player, but I think if there’s an underrated player in our league, Carrick Felix would be toward the top of that list for what he does for that team on both ends of the floor.”

So in talking defense, let’s take a look at the top five scorers in the Pac-12 not named Jahii, and then check out what each of them did against Arizona State.

One other item…ASU went 4-1 against these guys in the first half of the Pac-12, losing only at Washington.

Allen Crabbe, Cal (19.8 ppg.): Was 6-14 from the field and 2-8 from the three-point stripe in ASU’s 66-62 win on Feb. 7.

Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA (18.5 ppg.): Did not have a three-pointer in four attempts and was 8-15 from floor for 18 points in 78-60 Sun Devil win on Jan. 26.

Brock Motum, WSU (18.1 ppg.): In Pullman was just 3-13 from the field and 1-5 from the three-point stripe and had just 11 points in 63-59 ASU win on Jan. 31.

C.J. Wilcox, UW (17.7 ppg): UW scored 96 points and got the win in Seattle on Feb. 2, but Wilcox had 10 points on just 2-of-11 from the floor and did not hit a three-pointer for just the second time on the year at the time.

Roberto Nelson, OSU (17.1 ppg.): In ASU’s first Pac-12 road game of the year, Nelson was just 2-of-7 from the floor and did not have a three-pointer and had just eight points, the only time in Pac-12 play he has not scored in double digits as he is averaging 19.8 points since that game.

So as talk of postseason awards start happening…we here at Arizona State really “CAReRICK” about who wins this award.