Dec. 19, 2011

LEXINGTON, Ky. – UK men’s basketball freshman Marquis Teague was named a Bob Cousy Award candidate as announced by The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.

Teague, a 6-2 guard from Indianapolis, Ind., is averaging 10.8 points, 4.6 assists and 2.2 rebounds per game.

He currently ranks third in the Southeastern Conference in assists, seventh in assists to turnover ratio (1.7) and eighth in steals (1.7).

Teague had a slow start to the season, but has begun to settle into his role of point guard. Through his first four games, he tallied 11 assists to 18 turnovers. However, in his last six games he has reversed those numbers, dishing out 35 assists to just nine turnovers.

The annual award, named for Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic Bob Cousy, recognizes college basketball’s top point guard. Almost 60 candidates have been nominated for the 2012 award. Nominations were solicited from all Division I, II and III schools across the country.

This original list of candidates will be narrowed down to a final twenty by January 1st, final ten by February 1st, and final five by March 1st. 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.