March 10, 2011
Contact: Brian McCann
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland State senior guard Norris Cole has been named as one of five finalists for the 2011 Bob Cousy Award, which is presented by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the nation's top collegiate point guard.
The 2011 Bob Cousy Award will be awarded at the Hall of Fame's Class Announcement on Monday April 4th in Houston as part of NCAA Final Four weekend.
"This is a big honor for myself and my teammates because it reflects the sacrifices that this team made during the summer and off-season to improve and it honors the success that we have had this year," Cole said.
"To be considered as one of the five finalists for the Bob Cousy Award shows that a player from a mid-major school can compete at the highest of levels as long as he works hard," Cole added.
Cole was initially named as one of 72 candidates for the award in early December and the list was pared down by the selection committee to 20 in January and to 10 in February.
The most recent round of voting included an online voting that was open to fans nationwide with that vote being used to help trim the list from 10 to five. Cole finished third among the 10 nominees with 13 percent of the vote.
Each of the final five candidates will be reviewed by the Hall of Fame's Blue Ribbon Selection Committee, chaired by former NABC President and Hall of Fame Trustee Ken Kaufman. The Blue Ribbon Selection Committee is made up of top college basketball personnel including media members, head coaches, Sports Information Directors and Hall of Famers.
The winner of the 2011 Bob Cousy Award will be announced on April 1 with the award presentation coming at the Final Four on Monday April 4 as part of the Basketball Hall of Fame Class Announcement.
Cole has had a record-setting season en route to becoming the first player in league history to be named Horizon League Player of the Year and Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year in the same season. He led the Horizon League in scoring (21.6 ppg), steals (2.2) and free throw percentage (.853), ranked second in assists (5.3), third in minutes played (35.6), fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.93) and defensive rebounds (5.2) and seventh in rebounds, setting the CSU single season records for points (715), free throws made (215) and free throws attempted (252).
Cole had the top individual game in the Horizon League this year in scoring (41 vs. Youngstown State), rebounds (20 vs. Youngstown State), free throws made (15 vs. Green Bay) and steals (6 vs. UIC).
Cole will enter post-season play next week as the Cleveland State career record holder in games played (138), consecutive games played (138) and minutes played (4,038). He also ranks second in career victories (89), third in free throws made (473), field goals attempted (1,516) and fourth in career scoring (1,933 points), free throws attempted (573) and field goals made (662).
