Lin Leads Fan Voting for Cousy Award

Now that the Harvard men’s basketball team has fallen twice in league play midway through conference schedule, the chance of the Crimson’s Jeremy Lin matching up against Kentucky’s John Wall come March have disappeared.

But while the battle between these two guards on the hardwood will have to be postponed indefinitely, Lin and Wall have been pitted against each other in another contest.

Lin, a senior from the Ivy League hoping to extend his playing career beyond his graduation, and Wall, a freshman-phenom likely to be selected first overall in this June’s NBA draft, are two of the eleven finalists for this season’s Bob Cousy Award, given to the nation’s top point guard.

Although Lin does not fit the traditional mold of a Cousy Award winner—Lin is the only player represented from the Ivy League and one of three from a team outside the BCS conferences—the 6’3 guard has received far greater fan support than any of the 10 other candidates.

As of Thursday afternoon, Lin had received 42.6% of the fan votes, placing him miles ahead of the second largest vote getter, Maryland’s Greivis Vasquez, who had received 24.2% of the vote. Wall sat at a distant third with 15.9%.

Although it looks like Lin will run away with the fan vote, which closes in March, it remains unlikely that Lin will take home the award.

The winner of the award is ultimately chosen by selection committee comprised of 30 NCAA coaches, hall of famers, and media members. Taking the award away from Wall, who leads the No. 2 team in the country in points, assists, minutes, and steals per game, should prove to be a tall task.

To Lin’s credit, the three-time Ivy League player of the week has outperformed Wall statistically, averaging more points, rebounds, blocks, and steals per game. With that being said, ultimately the lower level of competition Lin has played against should do in the Harvard co-captain.

The winner of the award will join the ranks of past winners, Ty Lawson, DJ Augustine, Acie Law IV, Dee Brown, Raymond Felton, and Jameer Nelson, each of whom was selected in the NBA Draft.