Long Beach State University Athletics
Ware named a candidate for Bob Cousy Award
12/19/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 19, 2011
LONG BEACH, Calif. - Long Beach State point guard Casper Ware is a candidate for the Bob Cousy Award as announced by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass, today. Ware, who was one of 20 finalists for the award that recognizes college basketball's top point guard last season, is one of nearly 60 players on the initial list.
Ware (Cerritos, Calif./Gahr HS) is averaging 18.3 points, 4.2 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, while making 41.7 percent of his field goals, 33.9 percent of his threes and 86.4 percent of his free throws. He is among the Big West Conference leaders in scoring (2nd), steals (2nd), assists (3rd), free throw percentage (4th), 3-point field goals made (4th), and assist-to-turnover ratio (5th). Ware has scored in double-figures in eight of Long Beach State's nine games, including scoring at least 20 points four times. He scored a career-high 28 points in a win at No. 9 Pittsburgh on November 16, and then set a new career high with 29 points at No. 4 North Carolina on Dec. 10. Ware has also handed out at least four assists in six of LBSU's nine games, including a season-high eight at No. 6 Louisville on Nov. 28. He had a season-high four steals at No. 13 Kansas on Dec. 6. Ware, who is on the Wooden Award watch list, has claimed Big West Player of the Week honors twice already this season.
Ware, who became the first player in Big West history to win both the conference player of the year and defensive player of the year honors last season, has started 104 of Long Beach State's 106 games since playing as a true freshman during the 2008-09 season. He is averaging 13.4 points and 4.4 assists during his four-year career. He ranks second in career assists (469), third in career steals (173) and career free throws made (375), and ninth in career points (1,415) at Long Beach State. He is on pace to set new school records in both assists and steals, and should crack the Big West Conference's top 10 in all-time assists.
In addition to being named the player of the year in the Big West last season, Ware also earned honorable mention All-America recognition and was a USBWA and NABC all-district pick. He earned second-team All-Big West Conference honors and was named to the all-tournament team after the Big West Conference Tournament as a sophomore, while also being named to the Big West Conference All-Freshman Team his first year at LBSU.
The list of 20 finalists will be announced by January 1, with a final 10 being released by February 1 and a final five by March 1. 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 the NCAA Final Four weekend.
