Baylor MBB’s Butler Named Cousy Award Finalist

[Kaye, David]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – Feb. 22, 2021

Baylor MBB’s Butler Named Cousy Award Finalist
Junior guard is one of five candidates for Point Guard of the Year Award
For more information contact: David Kaye, 254-709-5147, David_Kaye at baylor.edu<mailto:David_Kaye at baylor.edu>


SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Baylor junior guard Jared Butler has been selected as one of five finalists for the 2021 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award, as announced Monday by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.



The annual honor, named after Class of 1971 Hall of Famer Bob Cousy, is now in its 18th season recognizing the top point guards in Division I college basketball.



The five finalists for the 2021 Bob Cousy Award are Butler, Gonzaga’s Jalen Suggs, Illinois’ Ayo Dosunmu, Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham and Villanova’s Collin Gillespie.



Butler has led the Bears to a 5-0 record over the last two seasons against the teams of the other four finalists. Baylor defeated Villanova in the 2019 Myrtle Beach Invitational, knocked off Illinois in the 2020 Jimmy V Classic and has gone 3-0 in Big 12 Conference play against Oklahoma State.



A National Player of the Year candidate, Butler is also on the Wooden Award Late Season 20, the Naismith Trophy Midseason Team, the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List and the Lute Olson Award Midseason Watch List. He was tabbed as National Player of the Week by the NCAA, USBWA and Naismith Trophy on Jan. 25-26 after posting 30 points and eight assists in a win over then-No. 9 Kansas, followed by 22 points and six assists in a win at Oklahoma State.



A Reserve, La., native, Butler leads the Big 12 Conference in steals (2.4/game), 3-point percentage (.446) and 3-pointers made (2.7). He ranks second in the league in scoring (17.0 ppg) and assists (5.2/game), fourth in field goal percentage (.493) and fifth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.89), while helping lead Baylor to a 17-0 record and No. 2 national ranking.



Butler ranks 11th nationally in 3-point percentage (.446), 12th in steals per game (2.41) and 43rd in assists per game (5.2). He also ranks No. 4 nationally in KenPom’s Player of the Year Standings. His 13 assists in a win at Kansas State on Dec. 19 are the nation’s fourth-most in a game this season and the most by a high-major conference player.



Butler also has posted 20-point games on the road against eight of nine Big 12 opponents over the last two seasons. This season, he’s recorded 20-point games at Iowa State (21), at TCU (28), at Oklahoma State (22) and at Texas (21). Last season, Butler posted 20-point games on the road at Kansas (22), at Kansas State (20), at Oklahoma (22) and at West Virginia (21).



Butler aims to become the second player in program history to win a national individual award, following Johnathan Motley’s 2017 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year honor.



The Bears have three remaining regular-season games scheduled, with the first two at home against Iowa State (Tuesday) and West Virginia (Thursday) followed by a third on the road at Kansas (Saturday). The Big 12 Conference is working with teams to reschedule additional games which have been postponed during the week of March 1-7.

Follow @BaylorMBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for updates throughout the year.

2021 BOB COUSY AWARD FINALISTS
Jared Butler, Baylor
Jalen Suggs, Gonzaga
Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois
Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State
Collin Gillespie, Villanova

2020-21 BAYLOR MBB HONORS
Jared Butler
Cousy Award Finalist (1 of 5)
Wooden Award Late Season Top 20 Watch List
Naismith Trophy Midseason Team (1 of 30)
Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List (1 of 15)
Lute Olson Award Midseason Watch List
Naismith Trophy Preseason Watch List
NCAA National Player of the Week (Jan. 25)
Naismith Trophy Player of the Week (Jan. 25)
Big 12 Player of the Week (Jan. 25)
Preseason All-America Team (Associated Press)
Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year
Preseason All-Big 12 Team (unanimous)
No. 5 on CBS Sports Top 101 Players in College Basketball
No. 2 on The Athletic’s Top 20 Guards in College Basketball

Scott Drew
Naismith Men’s Coach of the Year Late Season Watch List (1 of 15)

Davion Mitchell
Naismith Trophy Midseason Team (1 of 30)
Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List (1 of 15)
Big 12 Player of the Week (Feb. 1)
No. 67 on CBS Sports Top 101 Players in College Basketball
No. 10 on The Athletic’s Top 20 Guards in College Basketball

MaCio Teague
Jerry West Award Top 10
Naismith Trophy Preseason Watch List
Preseason All-Big 12 honorable mention
No. 24 on CBS Sports Top 101 Players in College Basketball
No. 12 on The Athletic’s Top 20 Wings in College Basketball

Mark Vital
Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List (1 of 15)
Preseason All-Big 12 honorable mention
Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Watch List
No. 71 on CBS Sports Top 101 Players in College Basketball



www.BaylorBears.com






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David Kaye | Assistant AD for Communications
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
C: 254-709-5147

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