Nic Moore Named One Of 10 Finalists For 2016 Bob Cousy Award

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From SMUMustangs.com:

Nic Moore Named One Of 10 Finalists For 2016 Bob Cousy Award
Basketball Hall of Fame To Announce Top Five Point Guards In Early March

Feb. 1, 2016

SPRINGFIELD, MASS. – SMU senior Nic Moore is one of ten finalists for the 2016 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award presented by College of the Holy Cross, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today. Moore, the reigning American Athletic Conference Player of the Year is also a candidate for the Wooden Award and Naismith Award.

This season, Moore has led No. 13 SMU to a 19-1 record. The Mustangs’ 8-1 record in The American gives them a two-game lead entering tonight’s game at Houston. SMU’s 18-0 start was the best in program history as the Mustangs were the last unbeaten team in Division I men’s basketball this season.

Moore leads SMU in scoring (15.7 points per game, 4th AAC), assists (4.9, 1st AAC) and steals (1.2, T-11th AAC) while shooting 39.3 percent from 3-point range (8th AAC) and posting a 2.4 assist-to-turnover ratio (4th AAC). He also leads SMU in 3-pointers per game (2.4, 4th AAC) and free-throw percentage (82.7 percent, 6th AAC).

Last year, after leading the Mustangs to a 27-7 record and an AAC regular season and tournament title, Moore was named the AAC Player of the Year and was a unanimous All-AAC first team selection and earned District 25 first-team honors from the NABC. Moore was also selected Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention after recording team bests in scoring (14.5), assists (5.1) and steals (1.3) and leading the conference in free-throw percentage (.875) and three-point percentage (.416). SMU made its first appearance in the NCAA tournament since 1993.

“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.”

Named after Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic and Holy Cross guard Bob Cousy, the annual honor now in its thirteenth year recognizes the top point guards in Division I men’s college basketball. Cousy played for Holy Cross from 1946-1950 winning an NCAA Championship in 1947. He was named a Consensus First-Team All-American 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. Broadcast information will be released at a later date.

Previous winners of the Bob Cousy Award include Delon Wright, Utah (2015), Shabazz Napier, Connecticut (2014), Trey Burke, Michigan (2013), Kendall Marshall, North Carolina (2012), Kemba Walker, Connecticut (2011), Greivis Vasquez, Maryland (2010), Ty Lawson, North Carolina (2009), DJ Augustin, Texas (2008), Acie Law, Texas A & M (2007), Dee Brown, Illinois (2006), Raymond Felton, North Carolina (2005) and Jameer Nelson, St. Joseph’s (2004).

For more information on the 2016 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award presented by College of the Holy Cross, log onto www.CousyAward.com.

2016 Bob Cousy Award presented by College of the Holy Cross Finalists

Kyle Collinsworth, Brigham Young University
Yogi Ferrell, Indiana
Monte Morris, Iowa State
Tyler Ulis, Kentucky
Melo Trimble, Maryland
Demetrius Jackson, Notre Dame
Khalil Felder, Oakland
Gary Payton, Jr., Oregon State
Kris Dunn, Providence
Nic Moore, SMU