Iowa State junior Monté Morris is one of 10 finalists for the Bob Cousy Award, the Basketball Hall of Fame has announced.
“The athletes on this list represent the most dedicated and skillful point guards in college basketball,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “They exhibit many of the characteristics that made Mr. Cousy such a successful player and we are pleased to be recognizing them for their accomplishments. We thank College of the Holy Cross for their continued support of this esteemed award.”
The Cyclone guard is having the best season of his career, putting up career numbers in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals. The Flint, Michigan-native, is averaging 15.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 6.9 assists, along with 2.0 steals. Morris ranks among the nation’s top-10 in assists per game and assist-to-turnover ratio (4.79). He has scored in double figures in 19 of 21 games this season, including five games with 20 or more points. Known for his clutch shots, he hit the game-winner against Iowa and his jumper against top-ranked Oklahoma with 20 seconds left put the Cyclones ahead for good.
A national committee comprised of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates in October, which has now been narrowed to just 10. Bob Cousy played for Holy Cross from 1946-1950 winning an NCAA Championship in 1947. He was named a Consensus All-America First Team pick in 1950. His success continued at the professional level as a six-time NBA Champion (1957, 1959-1963), NBA Most Valuable Player (1957) and 13-time NBA All-Star (1951-63). In 1996, he was named a member of the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.
In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Cousy and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee for the 2016 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award. The winner of the 2016 Bob Cousy Award will be presented at the ESPN College Basketball Awards Show live from Club Nokia in Los Angeles, CA on Friday, April 8, 2016.
BOB COUSY AWARD FINALISTS
Kyle Collinsworth, BYU
Yogi Ferrell, Indiana
Monté Morris, Iowa State
Tyler Ullis, Kentucky
Melo Trimble, Maryland
Demetrius Jackson, Notre Dame
Khalil Felder, Oakland
Gary Payton, Jr., Oregon State
Kris Dunn, Providence
Nic Moore, Southern Methodist