Sykes Named to Cousy Award Watch List

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Green Bay senior guard Keifer Sykes (Chicago, Ill./Marshall) has been named to the watch list for the 2015 Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced on Tuesday. The annual honor, named for Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic Bob Cousy, recognizes the top point guards in men’s basketball.

This season marks the third-straight season that Sykes has been selected to the watch list for the Cousy Award. In October, Sykes was named the Horizon League Preseason Player of the Year.

The 2014 Horizon League Player of the Year and an Honorable Mention All-American a season ago, Sykes enters his senior campaign with the Phoenix with 1,482 career points. With 435 points, Sykes will move into second place all-time and with 518 points will become the only player other than Tony Bennett to reach the 2,000-point club.

As a junior in 2013-14, Sykes averaged 20.3 points, 4.9 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game. He was named the Horizon League Player of the Week a school and league record six times, and at the end of the season was voted to the USBWA All-District Team.

A two-time All-Horizon League performer, Sykes has tied a league record with 10 career Player of the Week honors. His success has come in large part due to his success against top competition. As a junior, Sykes averaged 25.6 points and 5.1 assists per game in seven games against 2014 NCAA Tournament teams.

Previous Horizon League nominees for the Cousy Award have included Ray McCallum (Detroit), Norris Cole (Cleveland State) and Kendrick Perry (Youngstown State).

This watch list of candidates will be narrowed down to a final 20 in early February, then final five by early March. A premier Selection Committee has been appointed by the Hall of Fame to review the candidates in contention for the nation’s top collegiate point guard award. This committee is made up of top college basketball personnel including members of the media, head coaches, media relations contacts and Hall of Famers. The Cousy Award winner will be presented the award on Championship Monday in Indianapolis at the Hall of Fame's Class of 2015 Announcement and Press Conference.

Previous winners of the Bob Cousy Award have included Jameer Nelson (St. Joseph’s), Raymond Felton (North Carolina), Dee Brown (Illinois), Acie Law (Texas A & M), DJ Augustin (Texas), Ty Lawson (North Carolina), Greivis Vasquez (Maryland), Kemba Walker (Connecticut) Kendall Marshall (North Carolina), Trey Burke (Michigan) and last year’s winner Shabazz Napier (Connecticut). For more information on the 2015 Bob Cousy, log onto CousyAward.com.

2015 Bob Cousy Award Watch List
Olivier Hanlan, Boston College
Quinn Cook, Duke University
Tyus Jones, Duke University
D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera, Georgetown University
Kevin Pangos, Gonzaga University
Siyani Chambers, Harvard University
Yogi Ferrell, Indiana University
Monte Morris, Iowa State University
Kenneth Smith, Louisiana Tech University
Cameron Payne, Murray State University
Chasson Randle, Stanford University
Will Cummings, Temple University
Alex Caruso, Texas A&M University
T.J. McConnell, University of Arizona
Ryan Boatright, University of Connecticut
Kasey Hill, University of Florida
Andrew Harrison, University of Kentucky
Tyler Ulis, University Kentucky
Terry Rozier, University of Louisville
Romelo Trimble, University of Maryland
Angel Rodriguez, University of Miami
Derrick Walton Jr., University of Michigan
Jarvis Summers, University of Mississippi
Marcus Paige, University of North Carolina
Pierria Henry, University of North Carolina (Charlotte)
Jordan Woodard, University of Oklahoma
EC Matthews, University of Rhode Island
Isaiah Taylor, University of Texas
Julius Brown, University of Toledo
Delon Wright, University of Utah
London Perrantes, University of Virginia
Keifer Sykes, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Ryan Arcidiacono, Villanova University
Briante Weber, Virginia Commonwealth University
Juwan Staten, West Virginia University
Fred VanVleet, Wichita State University