Woodard Named to Cousy Award Watch List

NORMAN -- University of Oklahoma sophomore Jordan Woodard is one of 36 players named to the 2015 Bob Cousy Award Watch List, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced Tuesday. The annual honor, named for Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic Bob Cousy, recognizes the top point guards in men's college basketball.

During his rookie campaign a year ago, Woodard averaged 10.3 points per game and a team-high 4.6 assists (ranked sixth in the Big 12). The Arcadia, Okla., native set an OU freshman record with 146 free throw makes and finished three assists shy of setting the school freshman standard in that category (registered 152).

Woodard, one of four returning starters on this year's squad that is ranked No. 19 in the preseason AP and USA Today Top 25 Polls, started all 33 games for the Sooners last year, one shy of the school freshman record. He ranked fifth in the Big 12 in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.2) and free throw makes per game (4.4), sixth in assists and seventh in free throw percentage (.777).

The Cousy Award watch list will be narrowed to a final 20 in early February, then to a final five in early March. A selection committee comprised of top college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, media relations contacts and Hall of Famers, will select the award recipient. The winner will be presented the award on Monday, April 6 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), D.J. Augustin (Texas), Ty Lawson (North Carolina), Greivis Vasquez (Maryland), Kemba Walker (Connecticut), Kendall Marshall (North Carolina), Trey Burke (Michigan) and Shabazz Napier (Connecticut).

The Sooners open the 2014-15 season Friday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. CT in a home exhibition game against Washburn. OU will also play a Nov. 11 home exhibition game inside McCasland Field House against Southwestern Oklahoma State before starting regular season play at 2 p.m. on Nov. 16 against Southeastern Louisiana inside Lloyd Noble Center.

Fans have two ways to attend this Friday's Washburn game for $1: by participating in the “Fill the RV at LNC” canned food drive or by showing their tickets for Saturday's OU-Baylor football game at LNC ticket windows. For more information, click here. Fans may also buy season tickets, six-game mini plans and single-game tickets here.

2015 Bob Cousy Award Watch List

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