Whoever lists the Cousy Award nominees needs to be fired

Seriously, who picks the nominees for the Cousy Award? Because they done effed up again.

You remember last season, when Jordan Taylor and Tu Holloway were left off of the finalists for the Cousy Award? Well, they were both on the list nominees that was released today. So was Kendall Marshall, Scott Machado, Shabazz Napier, Casper Ware and Aaron Craft to go along with 58 other names.

Those names would have been unforgivable to leave off.

You know who else would be unforgivable? Phil Pressey.
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Jordan Taylor added to the Cousy Award finalists

The internet hath spoken.

Ten days after Jordan Taylor was left out of the ten finalists for the Cousy Award, the outcry had reached a level that something had to be done:

Wisconsin junior Jordan Taylor has quietly been added to the orginal list of 10 finalists for the Bob Cousy Award, given annually to the top point guard in the nation.

According to the Basketball Hall of Fame, which oversees the award, Taylor played his way onto the list of finalists, which now stands at 11.

Ballots were submitted by Feb. 1 and it was after that deadline Taylor led UW to victories over Michigan State and then-No. 1 Ohio State.

Ironically enough, Bo Ryan is a member of the committee that votes for the Cousy Award winner, but he apparently played no part in getting Taylor onto the list, at least according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's sources.

This has happened before. Evan Turner wasn't on the original list of Cousy Award finalists last year because he wasn't expected to be a point guard. His name was also added midseason.

Now then.

We are still missing Tu Holloway?
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Where are Tu Holloway and Jordan Taylor?

This post can also be found at Beyond the Arc.

The 10 finalists for the Bob Cousy award were released this afternoon. They are, in alphabetical order:

• Norris Cole, Cleveland State
• Corey Fisher, Villanova
• Jimmer Fredette, BYU
• D.J. Gay, San Diego State
• Brandon Knight, Kentucky
• Demetri McCamey, Illinois
• Mickey McConnell, St. Mary’s
• Nolan Smith, Duke
• Isaiah Thomas, Washington
• Kemba Walker, UConn

They are all good players, there's no question about that. In fact, three of the four favorites for national player of the year are on this list -- Jimmer Fredette, Kemba Walker, and Nolan Smith.

That said, there are two notable names missing: Jordan Taylor of Wisconsin and Tu Holloway of Xavier.

With all due respect to everyone on that list, there really is no excuse for Taylor and Holloway to be left out. In fact, after Fredette, Walker, and Smith, I'd say that Holloway and Taylor have been the two best point guards in the country this season.

There are currently four players averaging 20.0 ppg and 5.0 apg -- Norris Cole, Smith, Charles Jenkins of Hofstra (who has a legitimate argument to be included on this list as well), and Holloway. His play this season has been the biggest reason that Xavier is currently tied for first place in the Atlantic 10. He's filled the scoring void left by Jordan Crawford and put an injury-depleted Musketeer team on his back.

As good as Holloway has been this season, Taylor has been better. He's the model of efficiency when it comes to playing the point. His averages of 17.8 ppg, 4.6 apg, and 4.4 rpg are all the more impressive when you consider that Wisconsin averages the fewest possessions of any team in the country. Wisconsin isn't just the slowest team in the country, they are the most efficient in large part dude to the fact that they turn the ball over less than eight times per game. Taylor leads the way in that department as well, turning the ball over just 25 times despite playing 35.5 mpg as the team's primary ball handler.

I'm not saying that either of these two points guards are the best in the country. That argument isn't possible, not with Fredette, Walker, and Smith eligible.

But there is no way that they are not among the top ten point guards in the country.

And its a shame they aren't being given the credit they deserve.
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