Thornton Named to Bob Cousy Award Watch List
The award annually recognizes the top point guard in the country
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State junior point guard Bruce Thornton has been named to the 20-member 2025 Bob Cousy Award watch list as announced by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Monday.
The annual Bob Cousy Award, named after the Class of 1971 Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic and Holy Cross guard, celebrates its 22nd year by highlighting the top point guard in Division I men’s college basketball.
Fans are encouraged to participate in fan voting in each of the three rounds starting on Friday, November 1. In late January, the watch list of 20 players will be narrowed to 10, and then in late February, to just five. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Cousy as well as a selection committee and the winner will be determined.
Thornton is one of five Big Ten points guards on the list, joining Indian’s Myles Rice, Penn State’s Ace Baldwin, Jr., Purdue’s Brayden Smith and Rutgers’ Dylan Harper.
The Fairburn, Ga., native earned All-Big Ten season after averaging 15.7 points, 4.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He was also second-best in the country with a 4.0 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Thornton has missed just one game in his first two seasons, playing in and starting 70 of the 71 games. He has a career average of 13.2 points per game and is just 79 points shy of the 1,000 point mark.
Thornton and the Buckeyes will open the season on Monday, Nov. 4 against Texas in Las Vegas. The home opener is set for Nov. 11 vs. Youngstown State.
Season tickets, group and mini plans and single-game tickets are on sale now at OhioStateBuckeyes.com.
2025 Bob Cousy Award Candidates
Mark Sears – Alabama Elliot Cadeau – North Carolina
Jeremy Roach – Baylor Markus Burton – Notre Dame
Tyrese Proctor – Duke Bruce Thornton – Ohio State
Walter Clayton Jr. – Florida Ace Baldwin Jr. – Penn State
Malik Mack – Georgetown Braden Smith – Purdue
Ryan Nembhard – Gonzaga Dylan Harper – Rutgers
Myles Rice – Indiana Zakai Zeigler – Tennessee
Tamin Lipsey – Iowa State Jordan Pope – Texas
Dajuan Harris Jr. – Kansas Wade Taylor IV – Texas A&M
Josh Hubbard – Mississippi St. Elijah Hawkins – Texas Tech
Smith Named to Cousy Award Watch List
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue junior guard Braden Smith has been selected as one of 20 players named to the Cousy Award watch list, announced today by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Smith, who wasn’t on the initial list a year ago, was one-of-five finalists for the award during the 2023-24 season.
Smith opened the 2024-25 exhibition season on Saturday night, with a 31-point, seven-rebound, four-assist performance against Creighton.
Smith is coming off a record-breaking season for the Boilermakers, setting a school and Big Ten record with 292 assists, while being the only player in America to average at least 12.0 points, 7.5 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game. He became just the second player in NCAA history to amass at least 450 points, 275 assists and 225 rebounds in a season (BYU’s Kyle Collinsworth – 2015-16 season).
Smith would finish the season averaging 12.0 points, 7.5 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game while shooting 43.1 percent from 3-point range.
For his career, Smith has 808 points, 445 assists and 373 rebounds in just 74 games. He is one of six players (Magic Johnson, Kenny Anderson, Nick Calathes, D.J. Cooper, Ja Morant) to have at least 800 points, 425 assists and 350 rebounds by the end of his sophomore season. He currently already ranks eighth on Purdue’s career assists list and needs just 245 helpers to set the school record for career assists. His 445 assists are the second most in Big Ten history through the end of his sophomore campaign (Magic Johnson – 491).
Purdue will host Grand Valley State on Oct. 30, in Mackey Arena, in its final exhibition tuneup.
Smith and the Boilermakers will then open the regular-season Nov. 4, against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
Ace Baldwin Jr. Named to Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Top 20 Preseason Watch List
Baldwin Jr. is reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State men’s basketball graduate student Ace Baldwin Jr. has been named to the Naismith Starting 5 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Top 20 Preseason Watch List, as announced by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Monday afternoon.
The annual Bob Cousy Award, named after the Class of 1971 Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic and Holy Cross guard, celebrates its 22nd year by highlighting the top point guard in Division I men’s college basketball.
Baldwin Jr. enters his fifth year of eligibility in 2024-25 as the only active Division I player with 1,000+ career points (1,297), 600+ career assists (618) and 250+ career steals (271).
The point guard is coming off a senior season in which he was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, a Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalist, a Lefty Driesell Defensive Player of the Year Finalist, an NABC Second Team All-District 7 selection, a third-team All-Big Ten (coaches & media) pick and a Big Ten All-Defensive Team honoree.
The Baltimore, Md. native wrapped up his first season in the Blue & White leading the Nittany Lions with 14.2 points, 6.0 assists and 2.7 steals per game in 2023-24. He was one of just four Big Ten players since 1992-93 (31 years) and the first since 2011-12 to finish a season averaging 14.0+ points per game, 6.0+ assists per game and 2.0+ steals per game.
Baldwin Jr.’s 2.67 steals per game in 2023-24 were the most by a Big Ten player in a single season since the 1992-93 season (31 years). He finished the season ranked fourth in the country in steals per game (2.67), fifth in steals (88), 20th in assists (199) and 24th in assists per game (6.0). His 199 assists last season were the second-most all-time in a single season at Penn State, while his 88 steals ranked third-most in the Penn State single-season record book.
The point guard transferred to Penn State ahead of the 2023-24 season following three standout years at VCU in which he was a two-time All-Conference pick and the 2023 Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting in each of the three rounds starting on Friday, November 1. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2025 Bob Cousy Award will be narrowed to 10, and then in late February, to just five players. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Cousy and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee, where winners will be selected. The Selection Committee for the Bob Cousy Award is composed of top men’s college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.
Baldwin Jr. and the Nittany Lions kick off the 2024-25 season on Monday, Nov. 4, when Penn State hosts Binghamton inside the Bryce Jordan Center.
Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Top 20 Preseason Watch List
Mark Sears – Alabama
Jeremy Roach – Baylor
Tyrese Proctor – Duke
Walter Clayton Jr. – Florida
Malik Mack – Georgetown
Ryan Nembhard – Gonzaga
Myles Rice – Indiana
Tamin Lipsey – Iowa State
Dajuan Harris – Kansas
Josh Hubbard – Mississippi State
Elliot Cadeau – North Carolina
Markus Burton – Notre Dame
Bruce Thornton – Ohio State
Ace Baldwin Jr. – Penn State
Braden Smith – Purdue
Dylan Harper – Rutgers
Zakai Zeigler – Tennessee
Jordan Pope – Texas
Wade Taylor IV – Texas A&M
Elijah Hawkins – Texas Tech
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