SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (SMU/Naismith HOF) – Junior guard Shake Milton was one of 20 candidates named to the 2018 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award watch list, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Monday. The annual honor recognizes the top point guards in Division I men's college basketball. Milton was also named the 2017-18 preseason American Athletic Conference Player of the Year.

As a sophomore, Milton was a member of the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award watch list and was selected All-American Athletic Conference second team. He averaged 13.0 points (16th AAC), 4.5 assists (4th AAC) and 1.3 steals (10th AAC). He also had a 2.6 assist-to-turnover ratio (3rd AAC) while shooting 42.3 percent on threes (4th AAC).
 
Milton helped the Mustangs sweep the 2016-17 American Athletic Conference season and tournament championships en route to the NCAA Tournament. The Mustangs won a program-record 30 games (30-5) that included going 17-1 in conference play and 18-0 in Moody Coliseum. SMU finished No. 11 in the final Associated Press Top 25.
 
By mid-February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2018 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award will be narrowed to just 10. In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Cousy and the Hall of Fame's selection committee.  The winner of the 2018 Bob Cousy Award will be presented at the ESPN College Basketball Awards Show presented by Wendy's in Los Angeles, CA on Friday, April 6, 2018. Broadcast information will be released at a later date.

Bob Cousy played for Holy Cross from 1946-1950 winning an NCAA Championship in 1947. He was named a Consensus First-Team All-American in 1950. His success continued at the professional level as a six-time NBA Champion (1957, 1959-1963), NBA Most Valuable Player (1957) and 13-time NBA All-Star (1951-63). In 1996, he was named a member of the NBA's 50^th Anniversary All-Time Team.

Previous winners of the Bob Cousy Award include Frank Mason III, Kansas (2017), Tyler Ulis, Kentucky (2016), Delon Wright, Utah (2015), Shabazz Napier, Connecticut (2014), Trey Burke, Michigan (2013), Kendall Marshall, North Carolina (2012), Kemba Walker, Connecticut (2011), Greivis Vasquez, Maryland (2010), Ty Lawson, North Carolina (2009), DJ Augustin, Texas (2008), Acie Law, Texas A & M (2007), Dee Brown, Illinois (2006), Raymond Felton, North Carolina (2005) and Jameer Nelson, St. Joseph's (2004).
For more information on the 2018 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award log onto www.hoophallawards.com.
 
2018 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award Candidates 

Collin Sexton	Alabama
Manu Lecomte	Baylor
Jalen Adams	Connecticut
Trevon Duval	Duke
Jordan Bohannon	Iowa
Devonte' Graham	Kansas
Quentin Snider	Louisville
Nate Mason	Minnesota
Joel Berry II	North Carolina
Bryant McIntosh	Northwestern
Matt Farrell	Notre Dame
Trae Young	Oklahoma
Kyron Cartwright	Providence
Shake Milton	SMU
Jaylen Adams	St. Bonaventure
Jordan McLaughlin	USC
Jalen Brunson	Villanova
Bryant Crawford	Wake Forest
Jevon Carter	West Virginia
Landry Shamet	Wichita St.