TULSA, Okla. -- Conference USA has announced all its individual honors.

Except one.

There has been no mention of the "Most Improved Player of the Year" award.

Except, that is, by UTEP head coach Tony Barbee.

"I don't know if we have a 'Most Improved Player of the Year' in our league," he said, "but Tyler Wilkerson should win it."

Barbee is right.

Unfortunately, C-USA gives no such award. But Marshall's senior forward still appreciates Barbee's praise.

"Coach Barbee's comment lets you know that hard work pays off," said Wilkerson, who averages 13.9 points and 7.2 rebounds. "When someone actually recognizes your game and says, 'Hey, this kid can play,' it's almost like a relief.

"It's a good compliment, but you've got to keep working."

That will be Wilkerson's mindset when he leads fourth-seeded Marshall against Tulsa at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Conference USA Tournament here in the BOK Center.

But it wasn't always that way.

"From the first day we arrived here, I wasn't sure Tyler was going to make it," said Donnie Jones, Marshall's third-year coach. "Just based on he wouldn't work hard. He was a good kid, but wasn't committed totally on the court.

"But he's figured it out through time and the leadership of a guy like Markel Humphrey. Tyler watched him work and followed his lead."

Humphrey was the catalyst.

"Tyler's roommate last year was Markel," said Jones. "And he was a great influence on Tyler. He saw how hard Markel worked. He saw Markel's leadership and dedication.

"Then, it got taken away from him last year for eight games."

Wilkerson suffered a season-ending broken jaw during a game against Tulsa. Yet, he still made the trip to Memphis for the 2009 Conference USA Tournament.

"He sat in the locker room and cried when the season ended in Memphis last year," remembered Jones. "He and Dago Pena cried their eyes out when we lost to Rice.

"Probably the biggest thing I got from that was I knew I could build on something with those guys. And here we are a year later. We're here again and Dago Pena is the 'Sixth Man of the Year' and Tyler is second-team all-league."

None of that in coincidental.

Wilkerson and Pena both dedicated themselves to becoming more complete players. For Wilkerson, that meant drastically improving his ball-handling.

"That's probably where I've improved the most," said the 6-foot-8, 240-pound senior. "I was a lot different last year. I really didn't put the ball on the floor. I was more of a go-down-low and post-up guy.

"Now that I can take my opponent outside, put the ball on the floor and do different things, it makes it harder for the opposing team to prepare. It creates mismatches."

Wilkerson always has possessed a perimeter shooting touch to go along with his back-to-the-basket game. He has proven that by connecting on 11 3-pointers this season. But Wilkerson had to be a catch-and-shoot guy because he couldn't take a defender off the dribble.

That's what changed this season.

"They can't back off me because I can shoot the ball out there," said Wilkerson. "Then, if he's crowding, now I'm able to put the ball on the floor."

His improvement has been so marked -- or should that be Markel? -- everyone in Conference USA has noticed.

Just ask Barbee.

Chuck Landon is a sports columnist for The Herald-Dispatch. Call him at 304-526-2827. E-mail him at clandon@herald-dispatch.com.

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