By Kansas State University Athletics
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Senior Markquis Nowell was announced as a Top 10 candidate for the 2023 Bob Cousy Award by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Monday (February 7).
The award, which annually honors the top point guard in Division I men’s basketball, is named after former Boston Celtic and Holy Cross guard Bob Cousy, who was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1971.
Nowell joined on the list by fellow Big 12 player – TCU’s Mike Miles, Jr. – along with Detroit Mercy’s Antonie Davis, Marquette’s Tyler Kolek, Memphis Kendric Davis, Oral Roberts’ Max Abmas, Penn State’s Jalen Pickett, UCLA’s Tyger Campbell and Xavier’s Souley Boum.
K-State fans can support Nowell’s candidacy for the award by participating in Fan Voting starting Friday, Feb. 10 on hoophallawards.com. The Fan Vote will count as one committee vote during the finalist selection process.
Five finalists for the Cousy Award will be announced in March with the winner being announced in April.
Nowell, along with teammate Keyontae Johnson, was recently named to Watch Lists for both the Oscar Robertson Trophy as well as the John R. Wooden Award presented by Wendy’s.
A 5-foot-8, 160-pound point guard from Harlem, N.Y., Nowell is averaging 16.8 points on 39.8 percent (109-of-274) from the field, including 36.6 percent (52-of-142) from 3-point range, and 87.3 percent (117-of-134) from the free throw line to go along with a Big 12-best 7.8 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 2.3 steals in 35.9 minutes per game. He is one of just three active Division I players to total more than 1,500 points, 500 assists and 200 steals in a career.
Nowell ranks third nationally in assists/game (7.8 apg.) and total assists (180), while he is among the top-35 in 5 other categories, including 15th in free throws made (117) and steals/game (2.3 spg.), 17th in total steals (52), 25th in minutes/game (35.6) and 35th in free throw percentage. He has six games of 10 or more assists this season, while he has five double-doubles (points/assists), including the school’s first 30-10 double-double with 32 points and 14 assists in the win at No. 19/16 Baylor on Jan. 7. He became the first Wildcat to post consecutive 30-point games since Michael Beasley in 2008 with his 36 and 32-point efforts at No. 6/6 Texas and No. 19/16 Baylor.
K-State (18-5, 6-4 Big 12) returns to action on Tuesday night when the Wildcats play host to TCU (17-6, 6-4 Big 12) at 8 p.m., CT on ESPNU.
