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North Carolina’s Kendall Marshall wins Cousy Award as nation’s best point guard

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Kendall Marshall has won the Bob Cousy Award as the nation’s best college point guard, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Thursday.

On the season, Marshall averaged 7.8 points and 9.7 assists per game this season, leading the Tar Heels to a 32-6 on the year. His importance was most apparent after he fractured his wrist against Creighton and was kept out of the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games of the NCAA tournament.

North Carolina was eliminated by Kansas.

Shortly after the award was announced, Marshall jokingly tweeted, “Heyyyy! What’s up there Mr. Cousy?” then followed it up with a more formal statement.

“I’m extremely thankful and honored to be mentioned in the same breath as past Cousy Award winners,” he wrote.

Marshall is the third North Carolina point guard to win the award, joining Ty Lawson (2009) and Raymond Felton (2005).

Rumors have circulated that Marshall will be headed to the NBA, along with teammates John Henson and Harrison Barnes. If he were to declare, he is projected by analysts to be drafted in the late lottery or mid-first round.

“Kendall had one of the finest season-long performances by a point guard that I can remember, so it is fitting for him to win the Bob Cousy Award,” said North Carolina head coach Roy Williams in a statement. “He is a coach’s dream - the way he runs the team on the floor, exemplifies great leadership and makes each of his teammates better.”

The award will be presented to Marshall at the Final Four in New Orleans on Monday.

Daniel Martin is a writer and editor at JohnnyJungle.com, covering St. John’s. You can find him on Twitter:@DanielJMartin_