If college basketball's national of player of the year race were a distance race, then it's time for either Kansas forward Thomas Robinson or Kentucky forward Anthony Davis to deliver a decisive finishing kick.
Robinson has been among the leaders since before the start of conference play because of his consistency as a low-post scorer and rebounder. Davis has caught up with Robinson as a result of a late-season scoring surge to complement his game-changing defense.
According to ESPN.com's most recent straw poll of voters, Robinson holds a slim 141-112 lead on Davis with Ohio State's Jared Sullinger a distant third with 26 points. Versatile Michigan State senior Draymond Green also merits consideration due to his role in spearheading the Spartans' Big Ten title push, but he'd be a clear third on my ballot at the moment.
My vote as of today would be for Davis because I think his defensive brilliance outweighs Robinson's diminishing edge in scoring output. Here's a head-to-head comparison chart between the two that only further illustrates just how difficult it is to favor one over the other:
