Alabama’s Mark Sears Named Finalist for Bob Cousy Award Again

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama men’s basketball guard Mark Sears has been named a finalist for the 2025 Bob Cousy Award, the Naismith Awards announced Monday. This prestigious recognition is awarded annually to the nation’s top point guard in collegiate men’s basketball.

Sears, a senior from Muscle Shoals, leads the Crimson Tide with an average of 19.1 points and 5.0 assists per game, ranking second in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in both categories. He is also the NCAA Division I active leader in career points, amassing a total of 2,706 points to date.

This marks the second consecutive year that Sears is being recognized as a finalist for the Cousy Award, which is named after former Holy Cross star and Boston Celtics Hall of Famer Bob Cousy. Last year’s recipient was Tristan Newton from the University of Connecticut.

Joining Sears as finalists this year are Florida‘s Walter Clayton Jr., Marquette‘s Kam Jones, Purdue‘s Braden Smith, and Tennessee‘s Zakai Zeigler. Notably, Alabama has never had a winner of the Bob Cousy Award in its 21-year history, while Kentucky remains the only SEC school to have won, with Tyler Ulis taking home the honor in 2016.

Alabama, currently ranked No. 7 and holding a record of 23-6 and 12-4 in SEC play, is set to host No. 5 Florida for their final home game of the season on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

Sears has started all 29 games this season, averaging 32.4 minutes on the court while also contributing three rebounds per game and maintaining a shooting percentage of 41.2% from the field, along with 36.1% from three-point range. He is in his third season with the Crimson Tide after transferring from Miami, Ohio.

During his time at Alabama, Sears has consistently demonstrated his skills and leadership on the court. “Being named a finalist for the Cousy Award is not just an individual honor but also a testament to the hard work of my teammates and coaching staff,” Sears said in a statement following the announcement. “We are focused on finishing the season strong and growing as a team.”

The Bob Cousy Award was first introduced in 2003 and continues to celebrate outstanding talent and performance from point guards across the nation. Alabama’s Mark Sears aims to maintain momentum as he competes for this accolade in March.