By Danielle Daniels

The award annually recognizes the top point guard in the country

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State junior point guard Bruce Thornton has been named to the 20-member 2025 Bob Cousy Award watch list as announced by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in late October.

The annual Bob Cousy Award, named after the Class of 1971 Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic and Holy Cross guard, celebrates its 22nd year by highlighting the top point guard in Division I men’s college basketball.

Fans are encouraged to participate in fan voting in each of the three rounds starting on Friday, November 1. In late January, the watch list of 20 players will be narrowed to 10, and then in late February, to just five. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Cousy as well as a selection committee and the winner will be determined.

Thornton is one of five Big Ten points guards on the list, joining Indian’s Myles Rice, Penn State’s Ace Baldwin, Jr., Purdue’s Brayden Smith and Rutgers’ Dylan Harper.

The Fairburn, Ga., native earned All-Big Ten season after averaging 15.7 points, 4.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He was also second-best in the country with a 4.0 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Thornton has missed just one game in his first two seasons, playing in and starting 70 of the 71 games. He has a career average of 13.2 points per game and is a 1,000 point scorer.

Season tickets, group and mini plans and single-game tickets are on sale now at OhioStateBuckeyes.com.

2025 Bob Cousy Award Candidates
Mark Sears – Alabama                      Elliot Cadeau – North Carolina
Jeremy Roach – Baylor                     Markus Burton – Notre Dame
Tyrese Proctor – Duke                      Bruce Thornton – Ohio State
Walter Clayton Jr. – Florida              Ace Baldwin Jr. – Penn State
Malik Mack – Georgetown                Braden Smith – Purdue
Ryan Nembhard – Gonzaga               Dylan Harper – Rutgers
Myles Rice – Indiana                        Zakai Zeigler – Tennessee
Tamin Lipsey – Iowa State                Jordan Pope – Texas
Dajuan Harris Jr. – Kansas                Wade Taylor IV – Texas A&M
Josh Hubbard – Mississippi State       Elijah Hawkins – Texas Tech

#GoBucks

COURTESY OSU ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS