Here’s the press release announcing UConn Huskies men’s basketball point guard Shabazz Napier as one of the 2012 Bob Cousy Award candidates for the nation’s best point guard.
STORRS, Conn. – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. announced today that UConn sophomore Shabazz Napier is a candidate for the 2012 Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award. UConn’s Kemba Walker took home the award last season.
Napier has stepped into the starting role for Connecticut as a sophomore and is averaging 14.6 points, 6.9 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game to lead UConn to a 9-1 record. He recorded just the ninth triple-double in UConn history on November 20 against Coppin State with 22 points, 12 rebounds and 13 assists.
The Roxbury, Mass., native ranks among the BIG EAST Conference leaders in assists (2nd), steals (4th), 3-pt percentage (4th), 3-pt made (5th) and minutes played (8th).
Napier is one of six BIG EAST players on the list, joining Peyton Siva (Louisville), Ashton Gibbs (Pittsburgh), Scoop Jardine and Brandon Triche (Syracuse), and Maalik Wayns (Villanova)
The original list of 65 candidates will be narrowed down to a final twenty by January 1, final ten by February 1 and final five by March 1. A premier Selection Committee will be appointed by the Hall of Fame to review the final five candidates in contention for the nation’s top collegiate point guard award. These Hall of Fame committees are made up of top college basketball personnel including media members, head coaches, Sports Information Directors and Hall of Famers.
The winner of the 2012 Bob Cousy Award will be presented at the Hall of Fame’s Class Announcement on Championship Monday in New Orleans as part of NCAA Final Four weekend.
For more information on the Bob Cousy Award, log on to http://www.cousyaward.com.
For a full look at the 2012 Bob Cousy Award Candidates, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.
| 2012 Bob Cousy Award Candidates | |
| Randy Davis | Ball State |
| Pierre Jackson | Baylor |
| Keegan Bell | Chattanooga |
| Andre Young | Clemson |
| Andrew Lawrence | College of Charleston |
| Brian Barbour | Columbia |
| Shabazz Napier | Connecticut |
| Chris Wroblewski | Cornell |
| Antoine Young | Creighton |
| JP Kuhlman | Davidson |
| Ray McCallum | Detroit |
| Seth Curry | Duke |
| TJ McConnell | Duquesne |
| Kenny Boynton | Florida |
| Erving Walker | Florida |
| Luke Loucks | Florida State |
| Jeff Peterson | Florida State |
| Tony Taylor | George Washington |
| James Fields | Georgia State |
| Brandyn Curry | Harvard |
| Scott Machado | Iona |
| Stephen Thomas | IUPUI |
| Tyshawn Taylor | Kansas |
| Marquis Teague | Kentucky |
| Tyreek Duren | La Salle |
| Mackey McKnight | Lehigh |
| Casper Ware | Long Beach State |
| Peyton Siva | Louisville |
| Damier Pitts | Marshall |
| Will Barton | Memphis |
| Joe Jackson | Memphis |
| Malcolm Grant | Miami |
| Trey Burke | Michigan |
| Kaylon Williams | Milwaukee |
| Dee Bost | Mississippi State |
| Mike Dixon | Missouri |
| Will Cherry | Montana |
| Kendall Williams | New Mexico |
| Kendall Marshall | North Carolina |
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Photo credit: Brad Horrigan – Hartford Courant (No. 8 in gallery)
