Morris, who earlier this month was named Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year, was a finalist for the Cousy Award last season after averaging 13.8 points and a Big 12-best 6.9 assists. The Flint, Michigan, native ranked eighth nationally in assists per game and third in assist-to-turnover ratio at 4.23.
Morris is one of three Big 12 players on the list. He is joined by Kansas’ Frank Mason and Oklahoma State’s Jawun Evans.
By mid-February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2017 Cousy Award will be narrowed to just 10. In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Cousy and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. The winner of the award will be presented at the ESPN College Basketball Awards Show in Los Angeles, California on Friday, April 7, 2017.
2017 Bob Cousy Award Candidates
Jalen Adams, Connecticut
Maurice Watson Jr., Creighton
Jack Gibbs, Davidson
Frank Jackson, Duke
Nigel Williams-Goss, Gonzaga
Monte Morris, Iowa State
Frank Mason, Kansas
De’Aaron Fox, Kentucky
Melo Trimble, Maryland
Joel Berry II, North Carolina
Dennis Smith, North Carolina State
Jawun Evans, Oklahoma State
Lonzo Ball, UCLA
Jordan McLaughlin, USC
Jalen Brunson, Villanova
London Perrantes, Virginia
Seth Allen, Virginia Tech
Markelle Fultz, Washington
Brunson Koenig, Wisconsin
Edmund Sumner, Xavier