BYU basketball: Jimmer Fredette named a finalist for Cousy Award

PROVO — BYU senior Jimmer Fredette is one of the final 10 candidates for the 2011 Bob Cousy Award, emblematic of the nation's top point guard.

The list was whittled down from 20 candidates by a Hall-of-Fame, nationally-based committee. The original list started with 70 candidates.

Fredette leads the nation in scoring at 27.6 points per game along with 4.3 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals per contest. He shoots .473 from the floor, 41 percent and 90 percent from the free-throw line. The All-America and national player of the year candidate has been named the Mountain West Conference player of the week seven times this season.

The winner of the 2011 Bob Cousy Award will be announced at the Hall of Fame's Class Announcement on April 4, as part of the NCAA Final Four weekend.

The other nine players on the list are Norris Cole, Cleveland State; Corey Fisher, Villanova; DJ Gay, San Diego State; Brandon Knight, Kentucky; Demetri McCamey, Illinois; Mickey McConnell, St. Mary's, Nolan Smith, Duke; Isaiah Thomas, Washington; and Kemba Walker, Connecticut.

Also today, he and San Diego State sophomore forward Kawhi Leonard have been named the Mountain West Conference Men's basketball co-players of the week.

This is the 14th career — seventh this season — weekly accolade for Fredette and sixth — third this season — for Leonard.

Fredette averaged 27.5 points, 4.0 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals last week while helping the Cougars to wins over Wyoming and UNLV. At Wyoming, the senior guard went 10-of-11 from the free-throw line as part of a 26-point outing, adding three rebounds, two steals and an assist. Five of Fredette's 26 points came in the final 47 seconds as BYU held on for the 79-72 victory.

The Glens Falls, N.Y., native followed that performance with 29 points, seven assists, three rebounds and a steal in the Cougars' 78-64 win over UNLV. Fredette went 16-of-16 from the charity stripe against the Runnin' Rebels, tying the second-best single-game free throw shooting effort in MWC history. For the week, Fredette was 13-of-35 (.371) from the field and 26-of-27 (.963) from the foul line.

Leonard registered back-to-back double-doubles last week as the Aztecs posted wins over Colorado State and TCU. The Riverside, Calif., product scored 12 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in a 56-54 win at Colorado State, adding four assists. In a 60-53 victory over TCU, the senior forward finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, one blocked shot and one steal. For the week, Leonard averaged 11.5 Points, 12.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, .5 blocks and .5 steals per game while going 10-of-27 (.370) from the field and 3-of-4 (.750) at the free-throw line.

MWC men's basketball players of the week:

Nov. 15 Kawhi Leonard, So., F, San Diego State

Nov. 22 Kawhi Leonard, So., F, San Diego State

Nov. 29 Jimmer Fredette, Sr., G, BYU

Chace Stanback, Jr., G/F, UNLV

Dec. 6 Malcolm Thomas, Sr., F, San Diego State

Dec. 13 Jimmer Fredette, Sr., G, BYU

Dec. 20 Malcolm Thomas, Sr., F, San Diego State

Dec. 27 Travis Franklin, Sr., F, Colorado State

Jan. 3 Jimmer Fredette, Sr., G, BYU

Jan. 10 Jimmer Fredette, Sr., G, BYU

Malcolm Thomas, Sr., F, San Diego State

Jan. 17 Jimmer Fredette, Sr., G, BYU

Jan. 24 Jimmer Fredette, Sr., G, BYU

Jan. 31 Andy Ogide, Sr., F, Colorado State

Drew Gordon, Jr., F, New Mexico

Feb. 2 Jimmer Fredette, Sr., G, BYU

Kawhi Leonard, So., F, San Diego State