Dec. 19, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA.; DEC. 19, 2011 - Penn State junior point guard Tim Frazier (Houston, Texas) has been named by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame among the candidates for the 2012 Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award.
Frazier, who is the only player in NCAA Division I currently averaging better than 17 points and seven assists per game, was one of five Big Ten players named to the list which will be narrowed to 30 players in January and a final five on March 1. Frazier joined Trey Burke (Michigan), Aaron Craft (Ohio State), Lewis Jackson (Purdue) and Jordan Taylor (Wisconsin) among Big Ten players on the list.
Frazier leads the Big Ten posting 7.3 assists per game and ranks third scoring 17.2 points per game. He also leads the conference in minutes played (35.5), is third in steals (2.3), and 11th in rebounding (5.3). The 6-1, guard has posted five 20-point games on the year, including a career-best 27 in a win over South Florida, and three double-doubles. He currently stands seventh in the NCAA in assists per game while leading Penn State in scoring in nine games on the year.
With 87 assists through 12 games, Frazier is well on pace to shatter Penn State's single-season assist record of 189 set by Talor Battle in 2009. He has five games with nine or more assists on the year, including a career-best 11 in a win over Youngstown State. Frazier moved into 11th on the Penn State career assist chart on Sunday as he led the Lions with 15 points and eight assists in a 72-43 victory over Mount St. Mary's. With 333 career assists, he needs 17 to move into the top 10 all-time.
Named for Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic Bob Cousy, The Cousy Award recognizes the top point guards in college basketball. 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.
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), DJ Augustin (Texas), Ty Lawson (North Carolina), Greivis Vasquez (Maryland) and last year's recipient Kemba Walker (Connecticut). For more information on the 2012 Bob Cousy, log onto www.CousyAward.com.
Frazier and Penn State return to the court on Wednesday when they take on Cornell in a 7:30 p.m. tip on the Big Ten Network.
PNC Flex Books for Nittany Lion and Lady Lion basketball are available again this year for $99. The Flex Book gives fans 12 vouchers, 10 that can be redeemed in any combination for Nittany Lion and Lady Lion Basketball tickets throughout the year and two extra vouchers for the Nittany Lions' Coaches Vs. Cancer game on Feb. 11 vs. Nebraska and the Lady Lions' Think Pink game on Feb. 26 vs. Minnesota.
Nittany Lion Basketball single-game tickets or group tickets can be purchased by calling 1-800-NITTANY, visiting GoPSUsports.com or through Ticketmaster. Single-game tickets are $18 for the lower bowl and $15 for upper level tickets for adults. Youth tickets (18 and under) are $7 for the lower bowl and $5 for upper level seating, while Penn State student tickets (University Park or branch campus) are $5. Penn State also offers special basketball group ticket rates for groups of 15 fans or more. Nittany Lion group rates are $10 for adults and $5 for youth.
For all the latest information, notes, pictures and related links on Penn State basketball follow Associate Athletic Communications Director Brian Siegrist on Twitter (@PSUSTRETCH) and check GoPSUsports.com. The Nittany Lions are also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pennstatebasketball.
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