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(Courtesy: Charlie Litchfield/Des Moines Register)
(Courtesy: Charlie Litchfield/Des Moines Register)

AMES, Iowa – Cyclones point guard Monte Morris and forward Georges Niang have earned spots on two preseason award watch lists.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced on Tuesday that Morris, a junior from Flint, Michigan, is on the Bob Cousy Award watch list, which recognizes the country’s top point guard. Last season, Morris was a finalist for the award after averaging 11.9 points and 5.2 assists per game, and posting a nation-best 4.63 assist-to-turnover ratio.

“He (head coach Steve Prohm) wants us to take that extra step as a team,” Morris said on media day. “When your coach has that swagger about him believing the hype, you tend to believe it to and it makes you work that much harder. That’s the approach we have in practice every day: Win the day and take this train to the next level.”

Niang has been placed on the Karl Malone Award watch list, which honors the nation’s best power forward. He was also a finalist for the award last season as he averaged 15.3 points per game and earned All-American honors. The Methuen, Massachusetts, native has additionally been named to the preseason All-Big 12 team. He’s the only player in the nation with 1,500 points, 450 rebounds and 300 assists on his collegiate resume.

“There comes a lot of pressure with that (expectations), but I feel like all of us work extremely hard to be the best we can be every day,” Niang said on media day. “At the end of the day, pressure is really a privilege.”

Prohm and the Cyclones begin the regular season on Nov. 13 against Colorado in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.