Video: Is Timmy Allen a Pac-12 POY front-runner entering conference play

Has any Pac-12 player been more impressive than Utah's Timmy Allen to begin the season?

Of course an argument can be made for Oregon's Payton Pritchard, the senior point guard who has the Ducks at No. 4 in the country. Although Pritchard has a stat line of 18.5 points, 6.2 assists and 4.3 rebounds — and with many national pundits saying he'd be a first-team all-American right now — what Allen has done for the Utes has been far more impressive.

Utah entered the 2019-20 season with the youngest team in the conference, as was expected to finish ninth in the Pac-12. Although where the Utes end up in the conference's final rankings remains to be seen, Allen has led this youthful unit to a 9-3 record, including wins over then-ranked No. 6 Kentucky and rival BYU.

"One thing that Timmy is doing a great job of is distributing the ball," Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak told the Salt Lake Tribune. "He’s become a bit more of a playmaker for us as he’s gotten more attention. I don’t think we need to put too much on his plate. ... He can be a component, he doesn’t have to do all the scoring.”

Allen will enter Thursday night as the conference's leading scorer at 21.0 points per game — while also putting up 7.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.

But despite the stats, it's like Krystokowiak said above, it's been Allen's playmaking ability that has changed the Utes. He may not always get the assist, but Allen's calm demeanor and ability to scan the court or make the right read has often led to an extra pass or twi that finds an open Ute for a bucket.

Allen and the Utes will have the opportunity to make a statement on opening weekend when they host Oregon State and No. 4 Oregon, arguably the toughest duo to play in the Pac-12. If Allen, a two-time Pac-12 player of the week already, can help the Utes notch at least one win, if not two, it will go a long way into who the Pac-12's elite player is.

Add us as a preferred source on Google